Closing Session

Speech by Janusz Lacny

IRU President

Excellencies, distinguished Guests, IRU Members, ladies and gentlemen, dear Friends,

Let me begin by extending, on behalf of all of us, our many thanks to all the Members of the Congress Organising Committee, for their tireless, commendable and generous efforts to make this 31st IRU World Congress in Istanbul a great and unforgettable event.

I would like once again to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all our friends from Turkey, and in particular to:

• His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Turkey, Mr Abdullah Gül;
• His Excellency, the Minister of Transport, Binali Yildirim;
• Their Excellencies, Ministers of Transport from Asian and European countries;

And to the Congress Organising Committee Members:

• The President of TOBB, Mr Rifat Hisarciklioglu;
• The Vice President, of TOBB, Halim Mete;
• The President of TOFED, Mustafa Yildirim;
• The Former President of UND, Mr Cetin Nuhoglu;
• And Mehmet Karabay from TOBB.

May I also acknowledge the much appreciated contribution of our Congress Partners, Zürich, Vialtis and Ingosstrakh to making this a memorable event for us all!  Many thanks to all 3 Partners!

Dear Friends, what can we conclude from our proceedings? 

The numerous presentations and debates during this 31st IRU World Congress have confirmed unequivocally that “Road Transport, IS Driving Peace and Prosperity!”  Thus, any barrier on road transport will impede our industry from carrying out this vital and irreplaceable function.  As such, Governments should review their efforts to promote rather than penalise the development of road transport, if they wish to achieve the sustainable development of their economies and societies.

Therefore, the task for all of us, including the Ministers and other public authorities present, is now to go back home and also change the mindsets of those who were not here, including political decision-makers, the media, and the public at large. We should continue to work together with all our partners to make decision-makers recognise and act in way that supports the fact that road transport drives economic, social and environmental  progress everywhere!

In compliance with the spirit and principles of the UN’s Millennium Goals, as well as the IRU’s own Charter and 3i strategy for achieving Sustainable Development, based on innovation, incentives and infrastructure, we as an industry must seek to increase even further our professionalism. We should better promote the quality of the service we provide through vocational training, as provided by the IRU Academy and its international network of Accredited Training Institutes.  We should also make additional efforts to increase our productivity and diminish our environmental footprint through better transport, not more transport.

In a globalised competitive market like the road transport industry, the creation of added value in supply chains or people’s mobility is becoming so complex that no single company, no single association and no single fleet or logistics operator will be able to achieve this efficiently alone.

We need to work together, day after day, in a true public-private partnership with governmental authorities and also with the other transport modes and our commercial partners.

Road transport will only be able to continue driving peace and prosperity, by working in true partnership. But it must be stressed that our public partners need to make a concerted effort, with our support, to remove artificial and procedural barriers which today are putting the brakes on developing trade and tourism.

Public authorities will also need to allow our industry to make best use of existing infrastructure, while constructing and maintaining infrastructure according to real economic and social needs, targeting bottlenecks and missing links, allowing us to even more effectively interconnect all businesses and societies.

Dear friends,

Based on the excellent presentations and interactive debates, I am most honoured to propose that we now officially adopt the Declaration of the 31st IRU World Congress.

In summary, this Declaration highlights how road transport can continue to drive peace and prosperity everywhere in the world. To be able do so, public authorities imperatively need to:

1. Acknowledge the irreplaceable role of road transport in today’s globalised economy, as it has become a vital production tool everywhere, which drives economic growth;
2. Facilitate road transport for any penalty on road transport is an even greater penalty on the economy as a whole;
3. Recognise that road transport is driving sustainable economic, social and environmental progress;
4. Promote road transport so that our industry can continue to interconnect all businesses and people to all world markets, and in so doing, drive peace and prosperity!

Transport operators, on the other hand, will have to continue their never ending efforts to further increase the professionalism, quality, efficiency and productivity of their operations, building on the traditional creativity and door to door flexibility of this industry.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I consider the Congress Declaration approved?

* * *

May I also count on you to make this declaration known to your decision makers back home? 

Let me remind you that the role of the IRU and its international network of Members is much broader than merely representing the interests of the road transport industry.  Rather, it is the IRU’s statutory obligation to act “in the interest of society as a whole”, fully aware of the sector’s exceptional role and responsibility in uniting mankind and better distributing wealth!  Thus, our task in making the conclusions of this Congress known and implemented by all, is for the common good, and for our children’s children!

The future is in our hands.  Let’s shape it by “working together for a better future”!

I now consider this declaration as being unanimously adopted.  

Thank you for your support and for your attention!

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