TRACECA and IRU: International road transport is the engine of industry development in the region

Participants at the Conference include IRU member associations, transport companies in the Eurasian region and beyond, international organizations, development partners, international financial institutions and other interested parties.

The plenary session of the Conference covered discussions on the sustainability of transportation chains during the crisis and the need to redefine the role of road transport in various regions of the world.  

As part of the discussions, the TRACECA Secretary General shared the current initiatives that the Permanent Secretariat is working on, including the vision for further improvement of multimodal transport, since the TRACECA countries are united by the Caspian and Black Seas, ensuring the connectivity of the transport infrastructure of the regions.
 
   “The development of multimodal transport makes a significant contribution to the decarbonization of the industry, which is becoming more relevant year by year. Another initiative that also directly affects the reduction of atmospheric emissions is the development of cargo transportation by semi-trailers and piggyback trains,” noted A.A. Assavbayev.
 
  “Transportation of goods by semi-trailers has huge potential in providing a cheaper mode of transporting goods. However, the two main obstacles today are the limited application of the provisions of the TIR Convention in relation to transportation under a subcontracting agreement and the need to obtain permits. Of all the countries along the route, only 5 out of 14 countries have the opportunity to use TIR in a subcontracting agreement. At the same time, almost all Central Asian countries need to obtain permits for the carriage of goods. Moreover, not all Central Asian countries have agreements on road transport with the countries of the route, which can be solved specifically through the transportation of goods by semi-trailers. Therefore, within the framework of TRACECA, a draft agreement is being prepared on the development of cargo transportation by semi-trailers, where one of the conditions of transportation may be complete exemption from the need to obtain permits. I sincerely hope that the TRACECA countries will support this initiative,” emphasized the Secretary General.
 
    During the second session, participants shared solutions to the driver shortage in conditions of   transition to autonomous vehicles. There is a shortage of more than 2.6 million professional drivers in the countries of the North and South America, Asia and Europe. The problem poses further risks of inflation, disrupted social mobility and supply chain disruptions for already stressed economies and populations.

    
For information:
    
- The conference featured a special session dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the IRU, with the participation of prominent representatives in the field of development of trade and transport, as well as progressive participants in the IRU “New Industry Shapers” project, who are forming new trends in the development of the road transport industry.
- At the end of the event, the Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA presented memorable souvenirs to AIRCUZ and IRU.