Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov is attending the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, currently taking place in the national tourist zone of Avaza, Turkmenistan.
As part of the Russian Federation delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, Minnikhanov took part in a welcoming meeting with Turkmenistan’s National Leader, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as other distinguished guests attending the forum. He also participated in the opening plenary session of the conference.
During the meetings, Minnikhanov emphasized the importance of this conference, held under the motto “Promoting Progress through Partnerships,” for developing countries. He noted that the event unites nations facing significant contemporary challenges. Minnikhanov expressed confidence that the final declaration will call for joint solutions to overcome isolation, ensure sustainable development, and unlock the potential of millions living in these countries.
He assured that the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Tatarstan in particular, attach great importance to expanding international cooperation and support initiatives aimed at enhancing economic resilience and development.
“Tatarstan is one of Russia’s leading and industrially developed regions, which, like many participants, does not have direct access to the sea. Nevertheless, thanks to national support, we have achieved significant progress in developing international ties and our economy over recent decades. We actively expand trade, scientific, technological, and cultural cooperation with many countries, implement joint projects, and attract investments,” Minnikhanov said.
Currently, Tatarstan maintains trade relations with 136 countries, with its foreign trade turnover exceeding $16 billion last year, an increase of more than 12%.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has prioritized diversifying logistic routes, chiefly through the creation of the North-South transport corridor linking ports on the Baltic and Arctic Seas with those on the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean coasts. Thanks to its strategic location and infrastructure, Tatarstan serves as a key hub in this corridor.
Minnikhanov highlighted that the republic is traversed by three major navigable rivers—the Volga, Kama, and Vyatka—enabling efficient river transport. The transport hub within Tatarstan integrates water, air, road, and rail, providing connectivity through the Volga River to five seas (Caspian, Black, Azov, Baltic, White), making the republic an exemplary model of effective logistics for landlocked countries.
During the last navigation season, regular river services in Tatarstan carried 350,000 passengers and over 33 million tons of cargo—a number that continues to grow annually.
The conference program includes an opening ceremony and plenary sessions, thematic debates among participating countries, open press conferences, civil society forums, and high-level round tables.
A key outcome will be the adoption of a new framework document for landlocked developing countries—the Avaza Program of Action—for the next ten years. Its goal is to coordinate national and regional integration efforts within global political frameworks to foster a more dynamic and inclusive path toward sustainable development, while safeguarding these countries against future shocks and disasters.
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Photo: official website of Rais RT
Based on materials from the Press Service of Rais RT