Austrian Diplomacy Strengthens Partnerships with Landlocked Developing Countries in Central Asia

PeopleDiplomats ♦ Published: August 10, 2025; 21:54 ♦ (Vindobona)

At an important UN conference in Turkmenistan, Austria once again reaffirmed its role as a strong partner for landlocked developing countries. State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn, who attended the conference, emphasized the importance of deeper regional cooperation and modern logistics networks to compensate for the particular geographical disadvantages of these countries.

Austria, itself a landlocked country, is considered a long-standing partner and hosted the last UN conference of this kind in 2014. / Picture: © BMEIA

State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn emphasized that the geographical situation should not be seen as an insurmountable hurdle, but rather as an incentive for innovation and cooperation. Schellhorn made it clear that the key to overcoming disadvantages lies in deeper regional cooperation, creating legal clarity, and expanding modern connectivity. This is not only an economic necessity, but…