ACCORD BETWEEN 30 LOW-INCOME LANDLOCKED COUNTRIES AND THEIR TRANSIT NEIGHBOURS AGREED AT UN MEETING IN ALMATY

Accord between 30 low-income landlocked countries and THEIR transit neighbours

agreed at UN meeting in Almaty

(Received from a UN Information Officer.)

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN, 27 August -- An historic agreement between countries separated from the sea and adjoining nations with ocean access was concluded today in the central Asian city of Almaty, capping three consecutive days of intensive negotiation.

The Almaty Programme of Action is the first global action plan negotiated at the ministerial level that provides a framework for cooperation between the landlocked and the transit access developing countries -- nations that have often been at odds due to their geographic configuration.  In addition to the 30 landlocked developing countries participating in the talks, there were 33 transit access developing countries, nine donor countries, seven additional developing countries and 20 international agencies and financial institutions.

"These negotiations have focused very successfully on building a partnership between landlocked, transit and donor countries", said Under-Secretary-General Anwarul Chowdhury at a press conference late today.

The Programme of Action reinforces the right of all countries to enjoy secure access to the sea and establishes a set of policy guidelines for reducing red tape for landlocked country exports, while also respecting the prerogatives of the access nations.  (Transport services through access countries consume on average 15 per cent of the export earnings of landlocked developing countries -- and for some African landlocked nations, as much as 50 per cent.  In comparison, other developing countries expend an average of only 7 per cent on transport services, and the developed countries only 3 to 4 per cent.)

The action plan also establishes, for the first time, agreement in principle on compensating the landlocked countries for their geographical handicaps with improved market access and trade facilitation.  Nine of the 12 lowest-ranking countries on the United Nations Human Development Index are landlocked, and economists estimate that landlocked status costs these countries about 0.7 per cent in rate of economic growth each year.

The Programme further sets the stage for strengthened national economies and greater commonality of national interests by cementing international and national commitment to upgrade rail, road, air and pipeline infrastructure in both the landlocked and the access countries.

"This Programme presents a real opportunity for the landlocked countries to establish a niche within overall international relations", said Kazhmurat Nagmanov, the transport minister of the host country of Kazakhstan, at the press conference.  "We are positive that it will facilitate their integration into the global economy."

Following the successful negotiation of the Programme of Action, Kassymzhomart Tokayev, the minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan, met with Mr. Chowdhury, who is the Secretary-General of the Conference.  Mr. Tokayez will assume the chairmanship of the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries on Transit Transport Cooperation, when it opens tomorrow, 28 August, in Almaty.

The Conference will give the final stamp of approval to the Programme of Action on 29 August, its concluding day.  A companion political declaration is still being negotiated, and is expected to be ready in time for final approval by the Conference.

For more information, contact Tim Wall of the United Nations Department of Public Information, Almaty office, telephone: 7 3272 59 8189; cell phone: 7 300 799 2241; e-mail: wallt@un.org.

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