Kathmandu, August 4 – Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli departed for Turkmenistan on Sunday night, leading a high-level Nepali delegation to attend the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), a significant global gathering aimed at tackling the unique development challenges faced by landlocked nations.

He is leading a high-level Nepali delegation, accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya and senior officials.

Before his departure from Tribhuvan International Airport, PM Oli was bid farewell by several senior ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey. A contingent of the Nepal Army also presented a ceremonial guard of honour.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the prime minister’s visit comes at the joint invitation of Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

During the conference, PM Oli will represent Nepal both in his national capacity and as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)—a position Nepal has held since April 2023, after taking over from Malawi. In this role, Nepal leads efforts to advocate for the interests of low-income countries facing structural development obstacles.

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech during the plenary session and will also co-chair a high-level roundtable discussion. His agenda includes several official events and bilateral meetings with global leaders, as well as interactions with senior officials from the United Nations and other international agencies.

Accompanying the prime minister on this official visit are his spouse Radhika Shakya, Chief Adviser Bishnu Prasad Rimal, lawmaker Surya Bahadur Thapa, and other senior government officials.

The Turkmenistan conference, held under the theme “Driving Progress through Partnerships,” aims to foster global cooperation to enhance connectivity, trade, and development for LLDCs. More than 30 heads of state, along with representatives from major international and regional organizations, are expected to attend the event.