IRF Geneva present for the Belt and Road Initiative at the WTC China

IRF Geneva was one of the key supporting organisations of the World Transport Convention (WTC 2017) held on 4th-6th June 2017 in Beijing, China. Hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and organised by China Highway and Transportation Society (CHTS) the convention had as its theme “Green and Integrated Development through Innovations” and attracted 1,820 papers from all over the world and 5,000 delegates. Kiran Kapila, IRF chairman, delivered a keynote address in the opening
December 18, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Kiran Kapila, IRF chairman, delivered a keynote address in the opening ceremony for the Belt and Road Initiative at the WTC China

1201 IRF Geneva was one of the key supporting organisations of the World Transport Convention (WTC 2017) held on 4th-6th June 2017 in Beijing, China. Hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and organised by China Highway and Transportation Society (CHTS) the convention had as its theme “Green and Integrated Development through Innovations” and attracted 1,820 papers from all over the world and 5,000 delegates.

Kiran Kapila, IRF chairman, delivered a keynote address in the opening ceremony which was inaugurated by Wan Gang, minister of Science and Technology and by Dai Dongchang, vice-minister of Transport. In his address, Kapila stressed the importance that the concept of “connectivity” has today and spoke briefly about India’s Smart Cities initiatives. The future he envisioned is that of lesser and lesser human intervention and the growth of automation.

Connectivity is indeed at the heart of the new and ambitious Chinese initiative known as “The Belt and Road Initiative” or the new Silk Road. A dedicated roundtable was convened on the 4th June (one day before the opening of WTC). IRF Geneva was represented by Susanna Zammataro, IRF executive director. The roundtable discussed in particular the establishment of the International Transport Alliance (ITA), a platform to enhance multi-level and wide-ranging cooperation between the countries along the Belt and Road. The importance of harmonised technical standards and procurement procedures and contracts was one of the points Zammataro stressed during the roundtable.

The proposal for initiating the establishment of the ITA was presented and endorsed in the plenary of WTC.

WTC 2017 was also the opportunity to discuss Chinese participation at the IRF World Meeting (14th-17th November 2017) and collaboration plans with CHTS for 2018.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Tanzania road safety plan
    March 29, 2021
    Tanzania is introducing a new road safety plan.
    Read More
  • FEHRL and CEDR pledge more road research cooperation
    February 10, 2015
    The Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) and the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) have pledged to increase cooperation on road research. A memorandum of understanding to cement the cooperation was signed during a one-day event that featured speakers from national members of FEHRL and CEDR. Stefan Strick, president of FEHRL and also of the German Federal Highway Research Institute, signed the memorandum alongside CEDR president Simon Grima, who is also chief office
    Read More
  • International Safer Roads Conference focus on highway maintenance funding
    April 30, 2014
    UK road planners and engineers attending next month’s International Safer Roads Conference will find out how to avoid losing part of their highway maintenance funding from the British Government. In the Department of Transport document, ‘Gearing up for efficient highway delivery and funding’, Robert Goodwill, MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, warns that local authorities will be incentivised to take up asset management to make the most from allocated resources.
    Read More
  • Indonesia’s Dardak named IRF Professional of the Year by IRF Washington
    October 1, 2014
    Indonesia’s vice-minister of Public Works is engineer Hermanto Dardak and he 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.
    Read More

Highlighted Content