Sustainable transport and transnational corridors – from national tasks to the Eurasian agenda
The 10th International Conference on Transport and Transit Potential "TransEurasia-2017, held on 1-3 November in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana became one of the important events of the current week. Over 300 delegates from more than 40 countries, including heads of transport agencies, representatives of international and financial organizations - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Turkic Council, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank, discussed significant aspects of the development of national transport infrastructures, enhancing the efficiency of the transit transport system and the Eurasian transport corridors. The UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) organized a number of side events, including the 22nd session of the Project Working Group on Transport and Border Crossing and the Seminar on Sustainable Development Goals related to transport. The meetings were attended by more than 40 representatives from government agencies and diplomatic missions of SPECA member countries - Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The participants considered the current trends in the development of the transport sector and ways to achieve SDGs through the formation and implementation of long-term transport policies at the national levels. Particular attention was paid to the conceptual development of transport until 2030 and the role of international financial organizations in this process, the creation of a sustainable transport infrastructure, access to safe urban transport system, the collection and processing of road safety and road transport data in the UNECE space, Russia and Belarus. The main outcome that has crossed through all the discussions and speeches is the unanimous recognition of one fact - the global and regional role and urgency of Eurasian transcontinental routes towards Europe-Asia for strengthening trade and economic inter-regional relations are constantly growing. As is known, Turkmenistan has declared the next year’s motto as “Turkmenistan is the heart of the Great Silk Road”. The country has consistently implemented measures to revive the ancient trade and economic arteries in a new vision. Realizing step-by-step transport projects both of regional and continental importance, Turkmenistan makes its significant contribution to the formation of transport architecture. Among the landmark projects, the first stage of the Asian International Transport Corridor - Atamyrat-Ymamnazar-Akina railway, Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, rail and road bridges across Amudarya, Ashgabat-Karakum-Dashoguz and Turkmenbashi-Ashgabat-Farab highways, under construction Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi autobahn, state-of-the-art airports of Ashgabat and administrative centers of the provinces, international seaport in Turkmenbashi. Turkmenistan actively promotes the concept of a multimodal transport system that, due to the combined use of all types of transport, is able to ensure stability and uninterrupted cargo flows in any direction. The same task today is among the top priorities in the global agenda.
