UN Trade and Development sets out a practical vision for landlocked developing countries to unlock trade opportunities through regional cooperation, digital readiness and targeted reforms
Shutterstock/Pal Teravagimov | A truck carrying bananas from Kampala, Uganda, a landlocked nation.
UNCTAD sets out a strategy built on integration, digitalization and trade facilitation.
Constraints can be turned into drivers of growth.
Regional corridors in Africa and Central Asia show what’s possible when cooperation works.
Digital trade offers landlocked countries a way around geography.
Awaza, Turkmenistan, hosted a United Nations summit this week focused on the future of landlocked developing countries. Representing 32 nations and more than 570 million people, the conference addressed the persistent barriers these economies face in trade, logistics and investment.
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), led by Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, laid out a practical vision built on regional cooperation, digital readiness and targeted reforms to level the playing field for landlocked nations.
What does it mean to be landlocked in 2025?
That question shaped UNCTAD’s contribution to the conference. Landlocked economies today face transport costs 50% above the global average and wait twice as long for imports. Though home to over 7% of the world’s population, these countries still account for just 1.2% of global trade – a figure unchanged for over a decade.
Yet, as Ms. Grynspan emphasized, geography doesn’thave to dictate economic destiny. With the right policy tools and partnerships, landlocked economies can overcome systemic disadvantages – and reposition themselves as vital hubs within their regions. Read Secretary-General Grynspan’s full speech
UNCTAD’s approach focuses on three interconnected pillars: regional integration, digital transformation and trade facilitation. Each offers a pathway to reduce dependence on raw commodities, improve connectivity and enable diversification.
Integration that builds resilience and scale
Regional integration has already shown results. In East Africa, the Northern Corridor has cut border crossing times between Kenya and Uganda at Malaba from three days to just three hours. In Central Asia, the Middle Corridor linking China to Europe has cut transport times by more than half. These changes aren’t abstract. They translate into faster shipments, lower costs and expanded trade for landlocked producers.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also shifting the trade profile of the region. While 80% of Africa’s exports outside the continent remain raw materials, 61% of intra-African trade now consists of processed goods. This shift is especially relevant for landlocked countries, which benefit when regional markets support added value and industrial development.
Digital trade: Beyond borders
Digitalization is emerging as the most powerful equalizer in global trade. Digital services aren’t held up at borders – and though landlocked countries represent just 0.3% of global digitally deliverable exports, the sector is growing fast, offering a chance to leap ahead.
UNCTAD is helping landlocked developing countries build the infrastructure, regulations and skills to compete. Internet use in these countries has more than doubled since 2014, with mobile broadband now reaching 86% of the population.
“If you can connect, you can compete,” said Ms. Grynspan. “But potential only matters if you act on it.”
Customs reform that delivers measurable gains
Trade facilitation remains critical – and here, UNCTAD’s long-standing work is delivering real results. The ASYCUDA customs modernization programme, used in 66% of landlocked developing countries, has transformed customs systems by digitizing procedures, reducing clearance times by up to 90% and significantly boosting revenues.
In Malawi alone, customs income rose by 42% and over 600 logistics workers – 40% of them women – were trained in the system, creating long-term national capacity.
At the conference, UNCTAD and the Government of Turkmenistan signed a new agreement to launch phase 3 of ASYCUDA, with a $1.5 million investment over three years. The initiative will strengthen digital customs, apply AI tools for smarter risk management and improve cross-border data exchange. With all of Turkmenistan’s import and export declarations already processed electronically, the country is positioning itself as a digital transit hub in the region.
From vision to execution
The Awaza Programme of Action offers a shared roadmap – but the real test is implementation. As Secretary-General Grynspan noted, success depends not on declarations but outcomes: faster borders, more digital entrepreneurs and greater value added in exports.
UNCTAD’s role is to help deliver those outcomes – through integrated support, proven tools and a policy framework that connects landlocked countries to opportunity, not constraint.
To implement the Awaza Programme of Action, fairer financial conditions are also needed. At the recent Financing for Development Conference in Seville, UNCTAD stressed that many landlocked developing countries need not just more support but also fairer terms in debt, trade and investment.
The organization renewed its call to reform the international financial architecture – including a stronger role for multilateral development banks and greater coherence across systems. As Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan put it: “Development cannot be financed in silos – it requires coherence across systems, and credibility in the rules that govern them.”