On June 22, 2022, TRACECA took part in the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Connecting to Global Supply Chains through Inter-Regional Land Corridors and Maritime Routes (UNESCAP)

The Forum is organized with the support of the ESCAP capacity building projects on “Enhancing efficiency of intermodal transport operations in Asia through developing coordination arrangements in support of balanced economic, social and environmental impacts”, “Sustainable maritime and port connectivity for resilient and efficient supply chains in the aftermath of COVID-19 (Phase I)” and “Transport and trade connectivity in the age of pandemics: Contactless, seamless and collaborative UN solutions”.

Within the framework of the two-day forum, the forum participants discuss issues divided into two thematic segments: land transport connectivity between Asia and Europe and the role of interregional transport corridors and sustainable maritime connectivity.

The Agenda of June 22 included an exchange of views on key mechanisms for connecting the region to global supply chains, including regional and multi-stakeholder cooperation, relevant data analysis and normative and technical assistance tools to address. In particular, strengthening port-hinterland transport connections and strategically locating multimodal transport and logistics facilities to capitalize on the competitive strength of each mode in interregional transport, enhancing efficient multimodal operations; supporting a shift to sustainable and resilient port development; contributing to sustainable shipping practices, green port infrastructure, etc.

During the Agenda of the session, a segment was organized on the topic "Current issues in the operation of transport corridors, including transport corridors connecting Asia and Europe", allocated for speakers of international structures and organizations, including TRACECA.

The representative of the PS IGC TRACECA noted the main TRACECA initiatives, as well as the importance of developing multimodal connectivity between Europe and Asia, especially at the international level, by uniting states of different regions. "Despite the actions already taken by the countries, we still have areas that require further improvement for the smooth passage of goods," B. Kussubayev Head of Policy Development and Monitoring Division said.

The results of the discussions will be reported to the Seventh Session of the Committee on Transport (25-27 November 2022). The results of the Forum will be published on the UNESCAP official website Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Connecting to Global Supply Chains through Inter-Regional Land Corridors and Maritime Routes | ESCAP (unescap.org)

The event will last on June 22 and 23, 2022.

For reference: The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the largest of the UN regional commissions in terms of geographical coverage and population, is designed to promote the socio-economic development of the Asia-Pacific countries by increasing regional and subregional cooperation. The Commission consists of 53 countries and 9 territories with the status of associate members.