UN General Assembly
2002

social and economic development of the whole of the African continent. The International Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries and Transit Developing Countries will be held next year. It will address the problems that beset countries such as my own, such as integration into international markets, excessive costs related to transit transport, customs delays, restrictions and technical barriers to trade, as well as the need for financial support and the requisite investment in infrastructure and capacity development in order to overcome the disadvantages that stem from being landlocked. Paraguay has offered to host the subregional Latin American preparatory meeting for the Ministerial Meeting, with a view to defining clearly all of the necessary measures to establish our country's requirements, in particular with respect to the differential treatment to be given to landlocked countries, through tangible commitments in the areas of transport, customs and duty-free zones and in the area of opening markets through reduced customs tariffs, the elimination of special excise duties and other measures that hinder the competitive participation in international trade of landlocked developing countries.