The 12th Annual Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Land Locked Developing Countries, a part of the 68th session of the UNGA was held in New York on September 30th.

The meeting where Foreign Ministers, representatives from member countries and international organizations UN system and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon attended was headed by Laos, the Chairman of the Group of the Landlocked Developing Countries.

At the meeting O.Och, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations, G.Ganbold, Director of the Department of International Organizations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and E.Odbayar, Interim Director of International Think Tank on LLDCs represented Mongolia.

O.Och, the Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the United Nations said that the Mongolian Government intends to continue cooperation with the UN and its system organizations to make progress to protect the interests of Landlocked Developing countries outlining this in the action plan for 2012-2016.

He noted that Mongolia has been an active member of the group of the Landlocked Developing Countries adding that Mongolia gives importance to the preparation of the Almaty Program of Action and takes the necessary measures.

He also expressed concerns that the Doha round of trade negotiations are at a dead end, saying there is a need to strengthen cooperation on the issues.

Moreover, he said the landlocked developing countries are vulnerable and weak to climate change so the Group should participate in discussions and express integrated interest in final solutions.

O.Och continued to say that the International Studies Center of Landlocked Developing Countries that is to be established in Ulaanbaatar on the initiative of the Mongolian Government is essential. He added that the Mongolian Government budgeted 540 million MNT in 2014 to finance the start of the Center.

O.Och also called other landlocked countries to join the Group.