LLDC3 | Round Table 5 – Provision and mobilization of resources, and strengthened global partnerships for sustainable development in landlocked developing countries

Round Table 5 – Provision and mobilization of resources, and strengthened global partnerships for sustainable development in landlocked developing countries

Awaza, 7 August 2025

 

At IDLO, we work in partnership with governments and institutions—including in LLDCs—to create legal frameworks and institutional capacity that support inclusive economic growth – growth that can help mobilize resources, which can be reinvested in sustainable development and implementation of the Programme of Action.

 

Through legal reform, capacity development, and targeted technical assistance, we help create the foundations that attract investment, facilitate trade, and empower entrepreneurs.

 

Drawing on this experience, let me describe 2 tangible ways in which IDLO has been advancing inclusive economic growth in LLDCs.

 

We know that International Investment Agreements are a key policy tool to attract Foreign Direct Investment as a source of financing for development.

 

Some nations, however, lack the regulatory and institutional capacity to secure favorable terms in investment negotiations, leading to imbalanced contracts and disputes.

 

To mitigate this risk, IDLO launched in 2019 an Investment Support Programme, in collaboration with UN-OHRLLS, that delivered tailored pro bono assistance and capacity building to LDCs, some of whom are also LLDCs.

 

This public-private partnership, which has been both cost-effective and impactful, has supported Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda with their investment negotiation and dispute resolution capacities, in line with development priorities.

 

This brings me to the second (and complementary) way in which inclusive economic growth can be advanced through the rule of law.

 

For businesses, the ability to enforce contracts is a decisive factor in shaping investment decisions.

 

When conflicts arise, accessible, timely, predictable, and cost-effective resolution processes are essential to safeguarding investor interests and sustaining economic activity.

 

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) plays a critical and complementary role to the formal justice system in fostering a conducive business environment. By lowering the risks and costs associated with doing business, ADR builds investor confidence and contributes to a stronger, more resilient economic climate.

 

Recognizing this, IDLO has worked in partnership with Moldova, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, to establish, promote, and institutionalize the use of ADR as a credible and accessible mechanism for commercial justice – that can attract new capital — and spur economic growth across multiple sectors.

 

These are tangible examples in which the rule of law can create an enabling environment in LLDCs where businesses can invest with confidence; that levels the playing field [between domestic and foreign actors] and ultimately, makes it easier to do business, where people and communities can thrive.

 

IDLO welcomes the opportunity to partner with you in leveraging the rule of law to mobilize resources and advance sustainable development in LLDCs.