An ECO delegation led by Secretary General Ambassador Khusrav Noziri participated in the 86th Annual Session of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC) of UNECE on February 20, 2024, in Geneva.
The Annual Session under the theme “Taking ambitious climate action – Moving towards decarbonized inland transport by 2050” brought together high-level participants responsible for transport, environment and infrastructure from the UNECE member states, as well as heads of international organizations.
Delivering a statement in the high-level segment of the Session, Secretary General Noziri noted that ECO is fostering a conducive environment and a robust institutional framework dedicated to promoting constructive multilateral cooperation, particularly in transportation and communication. Further mentioning ECO’s pursuance of capacity-building initiatives aligned with the shared objectives and global connectivity ambitions, he underlined that ECO is successfully implementing some collaborative projects with UNECE, including the GIS Project. The ECO-UNECE Coordination Committee on Trans-Caspian and Almaty-Tehran-Istanbul Corridor is also vigorously engaged to meet joint transportation targets, he added.
Ambassador Noziri also stressed that to effectively address the concerns of developing countries in decarbonizing transportation, a collaborative, inclusive and equitable approach is crucial. Developed nations should prioritize offering financial support, technological assistance and capacity-building initiatives to empower these countries in transitioning to cleaner and sustainable transportation systems. By considering their unique challenges and needs, we can foster a resilient and fair global transport sector that aids our collective fight against climate change, he underlined. Ambassador Noziri concluded his remarks by drawing attention to the critical role that the regional organizations can play to foster collaboration among their member states, international organizations, regional and national research institutions and the industry stakeholders for the development and deployment of proper policies, plans and technologies that contribute to reducing emissions and enhancing energy efficiency in the transport sector.
