Speaking in the parliamentary forum on Monday of the third UN conference on LLDC, the main UN leaders emphasized that political will, matched with national legislative action, is essential if a new one -decade development plan is to make a real difference.
There are 32 countries of this type worldwide, home of more than half a billion people. Many are also among the less developed transport costs in the world due to high transport costs, limited access to global markets and greater vulnerability to climatic impacts.
Cost load
“These challenges are persistent and structural,” said Rabababal Fatima, of the high representative, leading the office that defends LLDC. “They are not only derived from being without coast but of limited infrastructure, narrow export bases and lack of access to finance.”
The figures, he said, tell a clear story: LLDCs represent seven percent of the world’s population, but only one percent of world GDP. Commercial costs are 30 percent higher than for coastal states. Only 61 percent of LLDC populations have access to electricity, compared to 92 percent worldwide, and less than 40 percent are connected to the Internet.
“These are not just statistics. They reflect real human challenges,” said Mrs. Fatima.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres (left) meets President Serdar Gurbanguleyýç Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, during his visit to the third United Nations Conference on developing countries on slats that are carried out in Awaza.
Be ‘Champions of Change’
She described Awaza’s action program as “a milestone” and “a clear road map” to help transform structural disadvantages into opportunities. But she emphasized that fulfilling her objectives requires action at the national level.
“Parliaments have a decisive role,” said Fatima. He urged legislators to align national strategies with the program, ensure financing, promote trade and integration, support good governance and form parliamentary groups dedicated to implementation.
“You are legislators, you are creators of budgets and champions of change. Your leadership is essential to ensure that the Awaza program offers tangible and durable results for the 600 million people of LLDC,” he told the delegates.
Fundamental role
The president of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang, echoed his message, highlighting that “parliaments are essential to translate global commitments into a measurable national progress.”
He stressed that parliaments provide the legal framework for development in areas such as infrastructure, innovation and commerce, and that they also have bag chains for key sectors such as education, medical care and climatic action.
When addressing the urgency of environmental responsibility, Mr. Yang cited the advisory opinion of July 2025 of the International Court of Justice (ICI), who affirmed that climate action is a legal duty of all states.
Stronger cooperation
“Parliaments monitor government performance and guarantee the efficient use of public funds,” said Yang. “Beyond politics and budgets, they are the bridge between the State and the citizens.”
He also requested a stronger, regional and globally, to address the shared and specific challenges facing LLDCS.
Concluding, Mr. Yang reaffirmed the role of the UN General Assembly as “the Parliament of Humanity”, committed to track progress and keep LLDC on the global development agenda.
“We strengthen this association between national parliaments and our global institutions,” he said, “so that we can fulfill the promise of sustainable development, a promise based on peace, prosperity and dignity for all, everywhere.”