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Parliamentary Forum

9 December 2024, Gaborone, Botswana

Parliaments bolster effectiveness, transparency, and accountability in the formulation, execution, and assessment of policies and programmes in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), transit countries and development partners and are instrumental in ensuring that commitments are fulfilled and that the priorities of the new Programme of Action (PoA) for the LLDCs are implemented.

Parliaments are responsible for drafting laws through legislation and policy frameworks that determine the legal framework within which the objectives of the new Programme of Action, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and regional cooperation, will be implemented at the national level.

Additionally, Parliaments in LLDCs, but also through development cooperation programs by development patterns, have the power to allocate resources and funding to key areas to ensure that LLDCs have the necessary infrastructure, both hard and soft, to facilitate trade, regional integration and socioeconomic development. Monitoring and accountability are vital aspects of the new Programme of Action for the LLDCs. Parliament's oversight function monitors the implementation of policies, assessing progress, and holding the government accountable for achieving targets. Complementarily, Parliaments can facilitate dialogue and collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders.

Furthermore, Parliaments can play a role in raising awareness about the unique challenges faced by LLDCs and advocating for international support and cooperation. This can lead to stronger partnerships and more targeted assistance by supporting the development of international agreements and partnerships that are crucial for LLDCs' access to global markets.

Against this background, UN-OHRLLS is jointly organizing with the Parliament of Botswana a one-day Forum for Parliamentarians at the third United Nations Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Gaborone, Botswana. The LLDC3 Parliamentary Forum will engage with all relevant stakeholders, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

The Parliamentary Forum will focus on the role of Parliaments in the implementation of the new Programme of Action for LLDCs. After reflecting on the main challenges as well as the opportunities faced by the LLDCs today, four critical issues will be discussed: unresolved changes and lessons learned from the Vienna Programme of Action, the multilateral trading system, good governance and accountability, and partnerships.

This event will cater to the members of parliament attending the LLDC3 as part of their national delegations. The forum will consist of a high-level opening segment followed by interactive panel discussions featuring members of parliament, United Nations officials, academics and representatives from other international organizations and civil society.