The first World Sustainable Transport Day is welcomed in Geneva with the participation of Turkmenistan
Transport industry leaders, the United Nations and civil society gathered today in Geneva, Switzerland to mark the first-ever World Sustainable Transport Day, the official date of which is November 26th.
The UN General Assembly, the main political body of the UN, at its 77th session adopted a resolution submitted by Turkmenistan on the proclamation of UN World Sustainable Transport Day. In honor of the new holiday, the UN organized a special event at the Geneva Palace of Nations today.
After a welcoming speech by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and representatives of a number of UN agencies, the forum began with a thematic session “How transport supports our daily lives,” where the keynote speech was made on behalf of Turkmenistan as the country that initiated the establishment of a new holiday.
The choice of date is not accidental - on November 26, 2016, the first UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport was held at a high level in Ashgabat, noted Batyr Annaev, Deputy Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, at the beginning of his speech.
He briefly introduced the forum participants to the Program for the Development of Transport Diplomacy of the President of Turkmenistan for 2022-2025, which defines the goals of further strengthening the potential of the country’s transport systems and international cooperation in this area.
It was also noted that Turkmenistan is a party to 12 international transport conventions. It was on the initiative of the Turkmen side that over the past 10 years, the UN General Assembly adopted 4 resolutions emphasizing the role of transport and transit corridors, the need for interaction between all modes of transport to ensure stable and reliable international transport and achieve sustainable development goals.
The report was accompanied by a visual presentation clearly demonstrating the successes and achievements of the country, which in recent years, Turkmenistan has vigorously invested in the diversified development of its transport system, including rail, road, air and sea routes, which today allows the country to effectively integrate into global transport networks.
Thus, the railway infrastructure of Turkmenistan has expanded significantly thanks to radical modernization. More than five thousand kilometers of steel roads provide reliable connections between the regions of the country, improving transit opportunities and stimulating economic growth.
The commissioning of the International Seaport in the city of Turkmenbashi became a turning point in the history of the transport industry of our country. The development of air infrastructure, including the construction of new airports and renovation of existing ones, also contributes to the growth of freight and passenger traffic. With the commissioning of the seventh airport in the city of Jebel, national airports will increase their capacity by 3,800 passengers per hour, which creates additional opportunities for the development of tourism, commercial and cultural exchanges with other countries.
The country is intensively introducing information technologies to manage traffic flows, and integrating environmentally friendly modes of transport into everyday life. The share of transport and communications in the country's GDP in 2022 was 8.8%, which is a significant increase compared to 7.4% in 2015.
This year alone, the public fleet of 1,260 buses was renewed, and last year, 860 vehicles were added to the taxi fleet. At the same time, more than 5 thousand kilometers of roads were built. Currently, large-scale construction of the Ashgabat-Turkmenabat highway with a length of 600 km is underway. Its first section Ashgabat-Tejen - which is 254 km - was already launched last year.
The speaker also paid special attention to the tariff policy in Turkmenistan, which maintains a low level of rates for public transport services, benefits for pensioners and schoolchildren, and emphasized the country’s desire to decarbonize transport and its electrification, citing as an example the successful introduction of public electric buses and electric taxis in the new city of Arkadag.
Together, these measures and initiatives constitute a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the development of the transport system in Turkmenistan, Batyr Annaev noted, inviting all stakeholders to cooperate, share experiences and join efforts in building a sustainable transport future for all.
The event then continued with an interactive panel discussion on how transportation is at the heart of everything. The forum program included meetings of the Committee of Experts and working groups on various issues: transportation of dangerous goods, perishable food products, trends in transport, etc. Separate sessions are devoted to transport safety and how transport contributes to solving the problem of climate change and trade communications.
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