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Launch of the Group of Friends of Landlocked Developing Countries

PRESS RELEASE

Launch of the Group of Friends of Landlocked Developing Countries

The revitalized Group of Friends of the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) was launched on 23 November 2022 at the UN Headquarters in New York. India assumed co-chairmanship of the Group of Friends, to help steer a roadmap of the review of the Vienna Programme of Action (VpoA) culminating in the Third Conference of LLDCs in 2024. Austria and Rwanda also co-chaired the Group of Friends meeting, which saw the participation of Under Secretary General and High Representative Rabab Fatima and Ambassador Collen Vixen Kelapile of Botswana as Chair of the Group of LLDCs.

  1. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, as co-chair, highlighted India’s steadfast support for the LLDCs and underlined the important role that the Group of Friends could play in supporting the stock taking of the VPoA and the Third Conference on LLDCs. Austria underlined the opportunity afforded by the ten-year review of the VPoA which was launched in 2014. Rwanda briefed about the preparatory steps being taken as hosts of the Third Conference on LLDCs. USG Rabab Fatima underlined UN Secretary General’s special interest on LLDCs and welcomed the revitalized Group of Friends which could further strengthen partnerships.

  2. Over thirty member states participated in the Group of Friends meeting. Brazil, USA, China, Morocco, Nepal, Zambia, Mongolia, and Armenia shared their views and experiences. The next Group of Friends meeting will be held in Spring 2023.

New York

23 November 2022