Gulf congress focuses on infrastructure challenges

The Kingdom of Bahrain will host the 3rd IRF Middle East Regional Congress & Exhibition which runs January 9-11, 2012.
February 27, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Bahrain World Trade Center, Picture credit: Atkins Design

The Kingdom of Bahrain will host the 3rd IRF Middle East Regional Congress & Exhibition which runs January 9-11, 2012.

The three core components of this major regional event have been designed to provide delegates with an in-depth understanding of the region’s critical infrastructure challenges and hands-on techniques to deal with common engineering questions. Panel discussions will consist of plenary, executive and technical sessions in the areas of road safety, intelligent transport systems, sustainable transport, pavements asset management, and tunnel construction. An exhibition showcasing innovation at work in the Gulf region will also run throughout the event and feature 2462 IRF’s Innovation Forum, a platform where the latest technologies are discussed. Finally, delegates interested in enhancing their professional credentials will have access to a range of IRF-certified training courses tailored to the needs of the Gulf and larger Middle East region.

The Congress & Exhibition will be formally opened by Their Excellencies Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf, Minister of Works, Kingdom of Bahrain and Abdullah A. Al-Mogbel, Deputy Minister for Transport, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and IRF Washington Chairman of the Board. Congress panellists include distinguished representatives from civil society, academia and industry with confirmed senior-level representation from World Road Association-3141 PIARC, 3271 Iowa State University, 184 Colas, 1397 AECOM, 2698 Delcan and 4031 ConSysTec among many others.

Established in 2009, IRF’s signature event in the region has already achieved recognition as the preeminent meeting point for road professionals in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. The Congress & Exhibition stands out in its dual objective of achieving a better understanding of the Gulf region’s specific infrastructure needs and promoting the development of innovative solutions. As a case in point, the Kingdom of Bahrain, long a regional trade hub, is undergoing fast economic growth, anchored on a solid foundation of ongoing infrastructure projects, perhaps best illustrated by the US$4 billion Bahrain-Qatar Friendship Causeway. The Kingdom’s superior transport infrastructure and business-friendly environment have been instrumental in securing the presence of regional bridgeheads for some of the world’s largest logistic carriers.

As a broader regional event strongly committed to long term capacity building, the Congress also provides a forum to discuss and showcase major projects and accomplishments in the Gulf region. The 2nd edition held last year in the United Arab Emirates’ capital city was attended by over 350 delegates with senior-level participation from the municipality and 2309 Highways Agency. The meeting notably led to a set of key messages on sustainable transport with broader application to the Gulf region.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • IRF-Washington to host Third Latin America Regional Congress
    May 28, 2012
    IRF will host the Third Latin America Regional Congress at the Crowne Plaza Tequendama Hotel in Bogotá, Colombia, from 8-11 November 2010 with the support of Colombia's Highway Safety Prevention Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Colombian Ministry of Transport, the National Institute of Concessions, the National Highway Institute, and the Mobility Department of the City of Bogotá. The Congress will feature direct participation by leading local and regional decision-makers, including notably Ger
    Read More
  • IRF Announces winners of 2017 Global Road Achievement Awards
    November 2, 2017
    The International Road Federation (IRF) has announced the winners of the 2017 IRF Global Road Achievement Awards at the closing of the IRF Middle East and North Africa Regional Congress and Exhibition. This year, the IRF honours 11 projects from around the world, each leading in innovation across major road and highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists. "Much of the transport sector's accomplishments are unnoticed by the hundreds of m
    Read More
  • IRF Washington awards distinction to Umberto de Pretto
    July 13, 2015
    The secretary general of the International Road Transport Union, Umberto de Pretto, has been awarded a distinction by the International Road Federation (IRF) in Washington. This is the IRF's highest and most prestigious individual distinction and is the Professional of the Year Award. This award was first established in 1951 and recognises eminent public, private and education sector professionals with an outstanding track record of leadership and commitment to the road transport industry. Throughout the ye
    Read More
  • IRU secretary general awarded IRF Professional of the Year 2015
    August 17, 2015
    The secretary general of the International Road Transport Union, Umberto de Pretto, has been awarded the International Road Federation's highest and most prestigious individual distinction Established in 1951, the Professional of the Year Award recognises eminent public, private and education sector professionals with an outstanding track record of leadership and commitment to the road transport industry. Throughout the years, the award has recognised some of the world's most influential transport leader
    Read More

Highlighted Content