Awaza: Trapped by geography and squeezed by global market forces, the world's 32 landlocked developing countries remain among the poorest and most overlooked. At a major UN conference underway this week in Awaza, Turkmenistan, calls are growing to tackle the high trade costs, investment gaps, and growing digital divide that continue to hold these countries back. Despite progress in some areas, landlocked nations—from Bolivia to Bhutan and Burkina Faso—account for just 1.2 percent of global exports, even though they represent over seven percent of the world's countries. Their populations face some of the highest levels of poverty, food insecurity, and economic vulnerability anywhere.

According to United Nations, one of the most persistent challenges these countries face is geography itself. Without direct access to seaports, they must rely on neighboring transit countries to move goods—often through outdated or inefficient infrastructure. This translates into trade costs that are, on average, 1.4 times higher than those of coastal countries. In some cases, export procedures can stretch into weeks or months due to border delays, fragmented regulations, and limited digital systems.

Ms. Grynspan highlighted that in customs procedures, digital tools can significantly reduce waiting times at borders from three days to three hours. To that end, regional agreements and digital initiatives have emerged as lifelines. One standout example is the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade, championed by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Now in force among several Asia-Pacific countries, it helps reduce paperwork, automate customs, and harmonize standards, making processes faster, cheaper, and more transparent.

ESCAP estimates that implementing cross-border paperless trade measures could reduce trade costs by up to 30 percent for countries in the region without direct sea access and increase export potential for the whole of Asia and the Pacific by nearly $260 billion. Even when goods reach border crossings, weak domestic transport networks further slow trade down. Roads and railways are often underdeveloped, underfunded, or vulnerable to climate shocks.

Regional infrastructure, like the African North Corridor, is crucial, Ms. Grynspan said, citing examples where wait times at borders have dropped by more than 150 percent due to corridor investment and coordination. But infrastructure alone is not enough—it must be paired with digital systems and strong regional partnerships.

Another structural challenge is heavy dependence on commodities. Over 80 percent of landlocked developing countries rely on raw materials like minerals, oil, or agricultural goods, making them highly exposed to global price swings and long-term decline in terms of trade. The path forward lies in economic diversification, especially toward value-added manufacturing, digital services, and knowledge-based sectors—industries that are less constrained by geography.

Yet to realize that potential, these countries need investment, and they are not getting enough. Despite more than 135 legal and policy reforms aimed at attracting foreign capital, foreign direct investment has declined by an average of 2 percent over the past decade. ESCAP's analysis confirms this gap: landlocked countries in Asia are receiving far less infrastructure investment per person compared with coastal countries, even though their transport requirements are proportionally higher.

Governments are trying to make their countries more attractive, but investment is not coming in, Ms. Grynspan said. High-risk factors, lack of guarantees, and a reliance on short-term financing are deterring investors. Multilateral development banks need to help us, she added. We need long-term, affordable financing and lowered cost of capital.