By Wadza Botomani
Vice President Dr. Michael Usi addressed the general debate at the third Landlocked Developing Countries Conference (LLDC3) in Awaza, Turkmenistan, on Tuesday, emphasizing Malawi’s infrastructure challenges and the need for international support.
Usi highlighted Malawi’s efforts in road and rail rehabilitation, border post modernization, and digital connectivity expansion, including rural network coverage and youth digital skills training. However, he stressed that progress remains slow due to inadequate infrastructure, high transport costs, and limited global market access—barriers that perpetuate poverty and inequality.
“Every step towards efficient transport and transit systems is a step towards global prosperity,” Usi said. While acknowledging the Vienna Programme of Action’s role in fostering regional cooperation and trade facilitation, he noted that more must be done. The newly adopted Awaza Programme of Action (2024–2034) offers a renewed commitment to addressing these challenges, and Usi called on development partners to honor their pledges to help Malawi unlock its full potential.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres echoed these concerns, describing landlocked nations as victims of a “double injustice”—being both developing and geographically disadvantaged. He urged reforms in international financial systems, effective debt relief, and increased concessional funding to support these countries.
Malawi, participating as one of the 32 landlocked developing nations, has also used the conference to strengthen bilateral ties with other countries and partners, seeking collaborative solutions to its developmental hurdles.
