Leading up to the first UN Conference on Sustainable Transport to be held in Ashgabat on 26-27 November, Eurasian regional economic organisations and Russian transport businesses expressed their support for IRU’s Global Partnership for Sustainable Transport and showed interest in joining its projects in Eurasia.
Under-Secretary General, Igor Runov, who leads IRU’s work with the United Nations in New York, met with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), the Coordination Transport Assembly of the CIS, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Russian Railways and FESCO, the leading public transport and logistics company in Russia, to discuss possible joint initiatives. Border crossing facilitation and modern soft roadside infrastructure was reviewed, alongside training and education, including the creation of an international school of transport diplomacy.
In the light of recent positive developments, participants agreed that the Eurasian transport complex has been significantly strengthened and its full scale inclusion into the system of global transport networks and mobility is advancing. Milestones include China's accession to the TIR Convention, the activation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s agreement on the facilitation of international road transport and the upcoming conference in Ashgabat. These developments are now an integral part of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.