TRACECA supports initiatives aimed at improving coordination between multimodal transport participants

Within the framework of this event, organized by the Commercial Law Development Program of the United States Department of Commerce in partnership with US Agency for International Development, such international organizations as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, PS IGC TRACECA, Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, German Development Agency (GIZ), International Road Transport Union, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other stakeholders.
 
On behalf of the organizers of the event, a representative of the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), Ms. Tamar Satterwhite, as well as the Ambassador of the US Embassy in Georgia, Mr. Kelly S. Degnan and the representative of the US Embassy in Turkmenistan, Mr. Konstantin Kosumov, made a welcoming speech to the participants of the meeting.
 
The objective of this event is to develop recommendations for best trade route scenarios among the participating private sector representatives from Central Asian countries, and Georgia, Azerbaijan; harmonization of customs, and border crossing procedures to reduce delays and improve transit procedures; and promotion of electronic exchange of information.

During the first session, the attention of the meeting participants was focused on recommendations on the expansion of the Trans-Caspian Trade Route and the presentation of the map of the main trade routes.

During his speech, the Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA noted the main areas of activity, particularly, aimed at the development of multimodal transport, digitalization of the corridor and improving the efficiency of maritime transport. "Both direct investment measures of infrastructure projects and comprehensive measures aimed at reducing the cost of transportation and increasing competitiveness are effective for the multimodal transport development" – Mr. Assavbayev A.A. stressed.

"Within the framework of TRACECA, sufficient attention has also been paid to the coordination among multimodal transport representatives. The Permanent Secretariat expresses its readiness to cooperate in order to ensure greater and more effective connectivity in the region," the Secretary General noted.
 
On the outcome of the event, a unified action plan that incorporates inputs and recommendations from pertinent stakeholders representing all modes of involved transport and captures insights and priority action items from the governments and international organizations is expected to be developed.


For reference:

- CLDP, founded in 1992, is an office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. CLDP's unique intergovernmental technical assistance relies on highly qualified regulators, judges, politicians, business leaders and lawyers from both the public and private sectors to achieve results that bring meaningful and long-term changes to the legal and business environment of the Host country.
 
- The earliest CLDP programmes included working with Central and Eastern European countries to help these countries to transit to an economically stable market economy integrated with the rest of the world. Many of these countries have since linked themselves to the global economy by joining the WTO, the European Union, or both. Recent programmes have focused on continuing to work with both the public and private sectors in countries of  Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus.