TRACECA Secretary General outlined cooperation priorities with OSJD at the jubilee CGD meeting

The high-level event was dedicated to key issues of the functioning and development of regional railway transport, covering multimodal, intermodal and combined transport, and brought together heads and representatives of railways from 30 countries as well as partner organizations, including the Permanent Secretariat of the IGC TRACECA.

On 23 April 2026, at the opening of the plenary session, the Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Olzhas Bektenov, delivered a welcoming statement, highlighting the significant role of railway transport in ensuring sustainable regional economic growth as well as the importance of the Conference as a platform for constructive dialogue and strengthening of regional partnership.

In his statement, the Chairman of the OSJD Committee, Mr. Miroslaw Antonowicz, noted the significant contribution of the organization over its 70 years of existence to the development of international railway transportation in the Eurasian space, including the improvement of the regulatory framework, the development of transport corridors and the implementation of modern digital solutions.

Mr. Asset Assavbayev also addressed the meeting, first thanking Mr. Antonowicz for the fruitful cooperation between TRACECA and OSJD.  

The Secretary General drew attention to the joint work on the application of the e-CIM/SMGS consignment note on TRACECA railway routes. “Since June 2024, five rounds of virtual testing have been conducted, the latest of which took place on 6–10 April 2026. Each round yielded new results; each feedback cycle allowed for the improvement of the CIM/SMGS consignment note prototype and the enhancement of message exchange quality,” Mr. Asset Assavbayev informed.

The Secretary General also emphasized that work is currently underway to determine further steps for the project, including its possible integration with digitalization initiatives, covering data exchange between railway administrations, ports and customs authorities.

The final decisions of the XL jubilee CGD Meeting are aimed at improving the efficiency of railway transport, strengthening mutual trust between railway administrations and expanding cooperation between partners.

TRACECA continues to support these initiatives and stands ready to facilitate their practical implementation for the benefit of the sustainable development of the region.

For reference:

• The jubilee CGD Meeting was also dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the founding of OSJD.

• On 20 June 2024, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between TRACECA and OSJD, laying a solid foundation for cooperation

• On 22 May 2023, the railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Ukraine signed a Memorandum on the organization of the pilot project on the introduction of the electronic CIM/SMGS railway consignment note along TRACECA routes. In early 2025, Moldova joined the pilot project.

• During the meeting, Secretary General Assavbayev solemnly presented OSJD Chairman Miroslaw Antonowicz with a medal for his contribution to the development of the transport corridor and the strengthening of international transport cooperation between Europe, the Caucasus and Asia.