Specialized agencies and UN entities will develop a road map to provide practical assistance to a group of landlocked developing countries. This was agreed by representatives of the group of these countries at a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan at the headquarters of the organization.

At the meeting, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov as Chairman of the group of landlocked countries spoke about the main challenges for these countries due to the lack of access to international trade routes and world trade markets due to geographical remoteness and landlocked isolation. He stressed the importance of partnerships in the field of facilitation of international trade, capacity-building of small and medium business, development of infrastructure, addressing the structural problems.

Guterres, in turn, supported the idea of developing a "road map" as a practical measure to overcome the problems of landlocked countries. The UN Secretary-General also noted the importance of close regional cooperation between states to create transport corridors that will turn landlocked countries into "interconnected" countries.

The meeting with the participation of the UN Secretary-General was held for the first time under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan.

The group consists of 32 countries: 16 countries represent the African continent, 10 Asian countries, including all five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, 4 European and 2 South American countries.

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country located at the farthest distance from the world ocean (about 3,750 km).