Nepal working closely with China, India for connectivity: PM Oli

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Aug 5: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the country was working closely with its neighbours China and India for enhancing connectivity.

“We are working closely with our neighbours, India and China, to enhance connectivity and integration across multiple domains,” Prime Minister Oli said addressing today the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries being held in Awaza, Turkmenistan.

The PM said, Nepal firmly believes that regional solidarity and global cooperation are vital to bridging the development divide.

We are confident that, with the continued support of our neighbours, India and China, and the broader international community, we can transform the barriers of “landlockedness” into gateways of opportunity, said the PM, according to the text of PM Oli’s statement provided by the PM’s secretariat.

As a committed member of the LLDC family, Nepal stands ready to work with all of you, not only as a beneficiary of change, but also as a partner in shaping it.

Full text of PM Oli’s statement as provided

Statement to be delivered by

Rt. Hon. Mr. K P Sharma Oli, Prime Minister

of Nepal at the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries

(Awaza, Turkmenistan, 5-8 August 2025)

His Excellency the President Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 It is my honour to address this august gathering on behalf of the Group of the Least Developed Countries.

At the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Turkmenistan for graciously hosting this important Conference in this beautiful city of Awaza and for the warm and generous hospitality accorded to all of us.

 Excellencies,

We live in an era of transformative progress, driven by technology, innovation and interconnectivity.

Yet, LLDCs continue to face persistent structural barriers: geographical isolation, dependency on transit countries, inadequate transport networks and limited integration into regional and global markets.

These challenges are even more acute for half of the LLDCs that are also LDCs. Their very geography of “landlockedness” continues to hinder their development.

Despite two decades of journey from Almaty to Vienna Program of Action, LLDCs still grapple with:

-Infrastructure and connectivity deficits,

-High trade and transit costs

-Limited diversification and little value addition,

-Heavy reliance on primary commodity exports

-Low levels of private investment, and

-Growing vulnerability to climate change and disasters

These barriers pose severe impediments to their economic growth and development.

Excellencies,

LLDCs are not just defined by their inherent geographical constraints. They are also defined by their potential.

These countries are rich in untapped natural endowments, offering many investment opportunities.

They are home to youthful and innovative populations.

They are increasingly engaging in the digital economy.

This is the moment to unlock that potential.

The Awaza Programme of Action offers a renewed opportunity to address these long-standing bottlenecks and seize new pathways toward inclusive and resilient growth.

But we must be clear: ambition without action will not suffice.

We need:

·Stronger Political will

·Renewed and strengthened global partnership that leaves no country behind

·Coordinated actions at all levels

I firmly believe that, with the right policies, strong solidarity and support, LLDCs can transition:

·From landlocked to land-linked

·From transit-dependent to trade-competitive

·From climate-vulnerable to climate-resilient countries

Excellencies,

Science, technology and innovation, especially digital technologies, hold immense promises to overcome the physical limitations of LLDCs.

This Conference is a call to collective resolve.

The Awaza PoA outlines five clear priorities under the theme of “Driving Progress through Partnership”:

1.Structural transformation and STI

2.Trade facilitation and regional integration

3.Transit, transport and connectivity

4.Climate resilience and adaptation

5.Means of implementation

It is a pathway to equity, inclusion and shared opportunity.

To turn isolation into integration, and potential into prosperity, we must:

·Invest in smart, sustainable, and climate-resilient infrastructure

·Deepen regional and subregional cooperation

·Harness the opportunities offered by technology to advance and accelerate development

·And drive progress through inclusive global partnerships with shared responsibility

Let us reaffirm our commitment to convert the Awaza Programme of Action into tangible and measurable progress, for more than 570 million people who live in Landlocked Developing Countries.

_______

Now, allow me to speak in my national capacity.

Excellencies,

Nepal welcomes the Awaza Programme of Action as a visionary and actionable blueprint for the decade ahead.

Its priorities strongly resonate with Nepal’s national goals, including our national aspiration of a “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.”

As a landlocked LDC graduating next year, Nepal continues to face:

·High transport costs,

·Limited regional integration,

·Inadequate infrastructure.

Our vision is to transform Nepal from a landlocked to a land-linked country.

We are investing in:

·Expanding highways and railways,

·Cross-border trade routes,

·Digital corridors,

·And green energy partnerships.

We are working closely with our neighbours, India and China, to enhance connectivity and integration across multiple domains.

We are also committed to aligning our efforts with regional and international initiatives to ensure that LLDC-specific vulnerabilities are addressed in broader development frameworks.

Excellencies,

Let me conclude by reaffirming a shared conviction:

Geography must no longer determine destiny.

With strengthened partnerships, smart investments and unwavering collective will, we can overcome limitations of landlockedness and ensure economic prosperity to our people.

Nepal firmly believes that regional solidarity and global cooperation are vital to bridging the development divide.

We are confident that, with the continued support of our neighbours, India and China, and the broader international community, we can transform the barriers of “landlockedness” into gateways of opportunity.

As a committed member of the LLDC family, Nepal stands ready to work with all of you, not only as a beneficiary of change, but also as a partner in shaping it.

We are working closely with our neighbours, India and China, to enhance connectivity and integration across multiple domains.

Let us join hands to ‘driving progress through partnership’ for a future interlocked by connectivity, powered by innovation and defined by resilience, inclusion and shared prosperity.

Thank you.