Turkmenistan elected chair of landlocked developing countries group for 2027-2028

September 5, 2026 at 09:38 AM2 min

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Turkmenistan has been elected chair of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) for 2027-2028, with unanimous support from all members at a meeting of permanent representatives at the UN in New York. The chairmanship begins on January 1, 2027, and the bureau will be formally endorsed at a ministerial meeting on September 24, 2026.

Key Facts

Turkmenistan was elected chair of the LLDCs for 2027-2028 with unanimous support from all members at a UN meeting in New York.
The chairmanship begins on January 1, 2027.
Azerbaijan was elected vice-chair, and Laos, Burundi, Chad, Rwanda, and Paraguay were elected to the bureau from regional groups.
The bureau will be formally endorsed at a ministerial meeting on September 24, 2026, at UN headquarters in New York.
Turkmenistan will coordinate the group's activities for two years, representing 32 developing landlocked countries.

Election and Mandate

Turkmenistan was elected chair of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) for 2027-2028 at a meeting of permanent representatives at the UN in New York. The election was unanimous, with all members supporting Turkmenistan's candidacy. The chairmanship will begin on January 1, 2027. Turkmenistan's mission to the UN announced the election and noted the country's leading role in the group.

Bureau Composition

Azerbaijan was elected vice-chair of the group. Laos, Burundi, Chad, Rwanda, and Paraguay were elected to the bureau from their respective regional groups. The bureau composition will be formally endorsed by the final declaration of the LLDCs ministerial meeting on September 24, 2026, at UN headquarters in New York.

Priorities and Roadmap

Turkmenistan will coordinate the group's activities for two years, focusing on energy and transport connectivity. The group represents 32 developing landlocked countries. Turkmenistan will play a leading role in implementing the Avaza Programme of Action for 2024-2034. In November-December 2026, Turkmenistan and the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) plan to prepare a draft roadmap for the chairmanship.