The Conference, organised by the Government of Kazakhstan, was attended by delegations from 42 states and 16 international regional organisations and financial institutions, including IGC TRACECA and the EU. It provided a platform for dialogue for representatives of the public and business sectors to discuss development prospects of the transport sector and its integration with international transport networks.

Participants had the opportunity to exchange views and consider issues relating to the integration processes in the Eurasian space, while examining their impact on the development of national transport systems and transcontinental transport corridors.

Among the main issues discussed were transport infrastructure and logistics, the financing of transport infrastructure involving Kazakhstan, foreign and international institutions, the activities of the Economic Cooperation Organization in the sector of transport and communications, as well as the activities of TRACECA concerning the integration processes of the corridor development.

The Secretary General of TRACECA, E. Biriucov, underscored that the potential of the TRACECA region could be enhanced through the realization of strategic objectives, namely the development of TRACECA routes, the creation of transport links within the corridor system, and the implementation of a coordinated tariff policy by TRACECA countries.

Participants also had the opportunity to discuss the Eurasian Transport Communication Project (EATC), the implementation of the “Model Highway” Initiative in the Euro-Asian region for the purpose of the Great Silk Road revival, as well as the strengthening of public-private partnerships. The importance of introducing simplified procedures for professional motor vehicle drivers and the implementation of trade facilitation measures, including the introduction of regional customs transit systems, were also tackled.

TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) is an international transport cooperation programme between the EU and its Partner countries in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. It has a permanent Secretariat in Baku, Azerbaijan. The cooperation framework covers the areas of maritime transport, aviation, road and rail, transport security, and transport infrastructure.