Harness Climate-Smart Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence as Development Tools, Speakers Urge Landlocked Developing Countries at Science, Technology Round Table
AWAZA, TURKMENISTAN (5 August) — From climate-smart agriculture to ethical use of artificial intelligence, landlocked developing countries must harness science, technology and innovation as development tools, experts and ministers underscored at the first round-table discussion of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries.
Five round-table discussions will be held over the course of the four-day Conference, and will feature briefings from delegates, experts and other stakeholders. This afternoon’s round table focused on "Structural transformation, diversification, and science, technology and innovation as drivers of prosperity in landlocked developing countries".
In his keynote address, Uchral Nyam-Osor, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Development of Mongolia, outlined the structural challenges facing those countries: "remoteness from international markets, high trade costs, commodity dependence and vulnerability to shocks". Primary commodities still account for 80 per cent of their exports, and in many cases, a single product dominates national trade. "We need to shift from volume to value", from exporting raw commodities to building processing capacity and domestic supply chains, he stressed, adding that this means investing in human capital, institutional capacity and technological capabilities.
Science, Technology, Development as Practical Driver of Sectoral, Structural Reform
Mongolia is approaching science, technology and development "not as a lofty ideal, but as a practical driver of sectoral and structural reform", he said. He went on to highlight various legislative reforms to improve intellectual property protection, as well as research and development governance. Also pointing to the establishment of local innovation hubs in secondary cities, he said such efforts are about building the foundations of a more productive and inclusive economy, "step by step, law by law, institution by institution". Further, "[artificial intelligence], if properly governed, can expand access to education, improve disaster forecasting, and support digital trade", but left unregulated, it risks exacerbating inequalities, he noted, calling for international and regional dialogues on ethical use of that tool.
The round table was co-chaired by Mariin Ratnik, Deputy Minister for Economic and Development Affairs of Estonia, who noted that the combined gross domestic product (GDP) of landlocked developing countries remains below pre-pandemic trend forecasts. Agriculture, manufacturing and services have stagnated signalling the lack of structural transformation. The plateau in manufacturing is especially of concern due to that sector’s historic role in driving productivity. Despite comprising 7 per cent of the population, the share of landlocked developing countries in global trade is only 1.1 per cent. Therefore, science, technology and innovation "are not a luxury but a necessity" for these countries, she said.
Highlighting Estonia’s experience with digital transformation, she noted that her country is also an "early adopter of artificial intelligence" and is using it to accelerate data-based and efficient public services. Financing remains a critical bottleneck, she noted, pointing to the essential role of green bonds and private capital. Also crucial is operationalizing the Sevilla Commitment, the outcome document of the recently held Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, she said, calling for "solidarity, innovation and shared accountability".
Her co-chair, Edil Baisalov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, noted that structural transformation is at the heart of the ambitious vision of the Awaza Programme of Action. Increasing labour productivity and decent employment are not abstract targets, but actionable and timebound goals. Many landlocked developing countries are heavily reliant on the export of unprocessed commodities, he noted, stressing the need to prioritize investments in rural infrastructure and agricultural innovation. In that regard, he called for regional agricultural research hubs, as well as equitable management of critical minerals that are needed for the global green energy transformation.
Digital Transformation: Role of Artificial Intelligence, Broadband and Satellite Technologies
Alongside physical transformation, a digital transformation is also essential, he said, acknowledging that Estonia’s support over the years has laid the foundation towards that end, from e-government to citizen services. Artificial intelligence offers a unique opportunity for leapfrogging over development obstacles, he said, adding that it is crucial to build regulatory and ethical frameworks to manage this. He also noted that landlocked countries such as his lack access to marine cables, resulting in a high cost of Internet bandwidth.
Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, also highlighted the crucial importance of broadband and satellite technologies, coupled with the low rate of access to the Internet among landlocked developing countries. Further, "one of the biggest problems is what happens at the border," he said. Highlighting the complexity of border logistics, from cold storage for perishable goods to identification systems, he said it is especially crucial that landlocked countries invest in creating a "good environment" that can enable smooth movement of goods across borders. That can be expensive because it requires heavy investment in infrastructure.
Highlighting an example from Eastern Africa, he said that the President of Rwanda "put people in a truck to understand what was happening on the road", and found that trade between his country and its immediate neighbours was running into long delays due to multiple roadblocks, weighbridges and vehicle searches, as well as problems caused by multiple insurance systems. The countries concerned took a decision to remove all roadblocks and most weighbridges, introduced an electronic tracking system and promoted a single insurance. As a result, trade that took 21 days was reduced to five days.
Prudence Sebahizi, Minister for Trade and Industry of Rwanda, said that example shows how Heads of States can take transformative decisions that change the business environment. "We have to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship," he said, highlighting the need for simplified regulations, reduced startup costs, finance access for young entrepreneurs and targeted international support for infrastructure development. Moreover, concessional financing and access to regional broadband is crucial if landlocked developing countries are to participate in the global economy. "We have what it takes to industrialize," he said, and instead of relying on imports, these countries must focus on how to add value to their own resources.
Improving Food Value Chains through Agro-Industry Innovation
Sepp Schellhorn, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, highlighted his country’s international development cooperation, especially in the field of agricultural innovation. Austria supports a holistic approach focusing on agrifood and agro-processing value chains as a whole, he said, drawing attention to a recent project in Ethiopia. In partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Austria helped establish a post-harvest management mechanization centre, which benefits small-hold famers and emerging agribusinesses by reducing post-harvest loss and fostering value addition.
In 2024, he said, his country and the World Food Programme (WFP) gave the Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa to a digital startup that created a farm-to-fork operation. "As a former chef I know what I am talking about," he said, adding that by ordering food products collectively, consumers are able to access low prices while small-hold farmers can sell large volumes directly to consumers.
Deodat Maharaj, Managing Director of the UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries highlighted the "double disadvantage" faced by landlocked developing countries – geographical and structural. As a result, research and development spending remains low while the digital divide exacerbates inequalities. In some landlocked developing countries that are also among the least developed countries, such as Burundi, the Internet penetration is a mere 5 per cent. "These are not mere gaps, but barriers," he said, adding that local innovation ecosystems are crucial.
Structural transformation starts with raising productivity, he pointed out. In order to achieve this, the international community must invest in climate-smart farming techniques, regional research hubs and digital tools that link farmers to markets. Landlocked developing countries must also move up value chains, he said. The Awaza Programme of Action has the "most ambitious [science, technology and development] targets" ever adopted by landlocked developing countries, he said, calling for financing and South-South cooperation to achieve this.
Countries Helping Each Other to Develop Science and Technology
In the ensuing interactive dialogue, representatives of Member States shared examples of how they have harnessed science and technology and called for international support for such efforts. Uganda has positioned science, technology and innovation as a cornerstone of the country’s economic strategy, its representative said. Agricultural produce that used to be sold as raw materials is increasingly being sold as value-added goods, she said, noting that her country also has Africa’s largest pharmaceutical vaccine manufacturing capacity.
The representative of Turkmenistan said that her country launched an information system to analyse labour market needs and designed an "atlas of professions of the future". It also established a business incubator programme in 17 universities to train young entrepreneurs. Iran, that country’s delegate said, bridges Asia, Europe and the Middle East. This geographical advantage coupled with a robust logistical and transportation infrastructure makes it a natural partner for landlocked developing countries. The sanctions imposed on her country have in fact, helped improve its education system, she said.
"We may be a landlocked country, but we also see ourselves as being land-linked," Eswatini’s representative said, pointing to its investments in space technology, science education for women and girls and digital services for its citizens. Uzbekistan’s delegate highlighted its proposal to create a regional agro-innovation hub in his country.
UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries
Türkiye’s speaker drew attention to the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, which is hosted by her country. The Bank has been carrying out projects aiming to strengthen their science, technology and innovation capacity, she said, calling on other development partners to increase engagement with the Bank. Burundi’s delegate said her country is focusing on modernizing agriculture and bridging the digital gap. She also stressed the need for partnerships to ensure equitable development of natural resources, including minerals.
The speaker for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) noted that filings of patents by residents of landlocked developing countries remain flat despite a more than 200 per cent increase in trademark filings over the last decade. Promoting intellectual property skills is crucial for broadening the entrepreneurial base, he said, noting WIPO has developed specific projects providing targeted support and mentoring for women entrepreneurs and youth in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Botswana and other landlocked developing countries.