Awaza, Aug. 5 -- The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) commenced on Monday in Avaza, Turkmenistan. The conference, which runs through August 7, was inaugurated at the Avaza Sports Complex where Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister Hojamyrat Geldimyradov and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed heads of state and government from participating countries.

In his inaugural address, Secretary-General Guterres stressed the need for increased access for LLDCs to global competitive markets. He called for joint efforts, coordination, and the necessary support to overcome the challenges these countries face.

Turkmenistan's President Serdar Berdimuhamedow highlighted the importance of South-South ...