Turkmenistan can continue to grow its road transport sector by coupling “hard” and “soft” infrastructure developments. A roadmap discussed by IRU and Turkmenistan could further streamline efforts.
In meetings with Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Rashid Meredov, and Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers, Mammetkhan Chakiev, in Ashgabat, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto recognised Turkmenistan’s investments in road transport infrastructure.
Umberto de Pretto also noted Turkmenistan’s efforts in advancing “soft infrastructure”, the harmonized mechanisms supporting procedures needed for efficient trade.
Some of Turkmenistan’s notable soft and hard infrastructure achievements include facilitating secure TIR transport operations with advance cargo information and dedicated priority lanes at ten key border crossings. Such examples of hard and soft infrastructure combinations boost transit based on security. Additionally, Turkmenistan, just like all other Central Asian countries, is now on its way to full TIR digitalisation with eTIR.
IRU and Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Director of the Transport and Communications Agency also agreed on devising a roadmap to advance road transport in Turkmenistan and boost its attractiveness for trade and transit.
The meetings concluded with discussions on plans for the 2024 World Sustainable Transport Day. Turkmenistan played a key role in the creation of World Sustainable Transport Day and the adoption of the UN resolution.
IRU is also advancing the industry’s decarbonisation roadmap, the Green Compact, which lays out the most efficient way to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 with a focus on available measures that can be adopted right now. ///IRU