Skip to main content

Argentina, Israel and Morocco join International Transport Forum

In a key development, Argentina, Israel and Morocco are joining the International Transport Forum (ITF). The decision was made at a summit of international transport ministers held in the German city of Leipzig, who unanimously approved membership of the countries. Of particular note is the appointment of Morocco, the first full ITF member country from Africa. Housed by the OECD in Paris (France), the ITF is an intergovernmental organisation that acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the
June 4, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
In a key development, Argentina, Israel and Morocco are joining the 1102 International Transport Forum (ITF). The decision was made at a summit of international transport ministers held in the German city of Leipzig, who unanimously approved membership of the countries. Of particular note is the appointment of Morocco, the first full ITF member country from Africa.

Housed by the OECD in Paris (France), the ITF is an intergovernmental organisation that acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. This decision takes the number of ITF member countries from 54 to 57.

Previously, Morocco was an observer country since the creation of ITF in 2006. “Morocco’s accession will be a plus for the Forum. It is also a positive development for Morocco,” said Mohamed Najib Boulif, Morocco’s deputy minister of Transport. “The geostrategic position of Morocco in the Mediterranean, in Africa, in the MENA region: these are all strategic assets for Morocco’s participation.”

Israel joins the ITF after becoming a member of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2010. “Israel is keen to contribute to the work of the ITF, and to be inspired by it,” said Moshe Kamhi, Director of Economic International Organisations in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of Israel’s accession.

Argentina is the second ITF member country from South America, following the accession of Chile in 2012. Argentina has been actively involved with the ITF’s permanent working group on road safety (known as 3444 IRTAD) since 2009. It has been a leading force in establishing the Ibero-American Road Safety Observatory (OISEVI), for which IRTAD operates a Spanish-language database with road crash information.

Simon Bridges, minister of Transport of New Zealand, the 2015 ITF presidency country said, “New Zealand welcomes Morocco, Argentina and Israel to the International Transport Forum. The expanded membership of the ITF promises the opportunity to promote an increasingly global outlook for the work of the ITF.”

ITF secretary-general José Viegas also expressed his satisfaction at the accession of the three countries. “ITF is the global, all-modes transport organisation. These three new members make the ITF even more global, and they bring significant transport experience to the table,” said Viegas. “We will be working with the governments of Argentina, Israel and Morocco to ensure that they get value for their policy making out of their membership.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Conexpo and IFPE 2014 are worldwide showcase centres for industry
    January 9, 2014
    Conexpo and IFPE 2014 are international trade exhibitions that will provide information and support for industry professionals worldwide. According to the organisers, more than 95 allied associations and groups are official show supporting organisations, while hundreds of industry meetings and conventions will be held at the shows and key countries for industry business are hosting international exhibit pavilions. Safety and education/training will be spotlighted with focused industry events in the outdoor
  • New tunnel between Argentina and Chile proves strong attraction for contractors
    November 27, 2013
    Interest is strong in the project to build the 14km tunnel link between Chile and Argentina, with reports stating that 23 firms having expressed an interest in the work. The twin tube tunnel will connect Argentina’s San Juan Province with Chile’s Coquimbo Province (Region IV) and will be constructed in the Andes Mountains. The Agua Negra project is set to cost somewhere in the range from US$800 million to $1 billion, although the exact price of the project has yet to be determined. Some 72% of the link will
  • Algerian court gives verdict on East-West motorway corruption case
    May 15, 2015
    A court in the Algerian capital Algiers has sentenced two men to 10 years in jail for their part in a money laundering scheme relating to construction of the East West Motorway.
  • Road safety film festival being held in Morocco
    January 13, 2015
    The fourth edition of the Global Road Safety Film Festival is being held in Morocco’s largest city Casablanca on 13th and 14th February, 2015. This event is organised jointly by Laser International Foundation (LIFE) in partnership with the Prevention Routiere Internationale (PRI) and the National Committee for Prevention of Traffic Accidents (CNPAC) of the Kingdom of Morocco. The aim of the event is for film makers to make short videos detailing aspects of road safety. The website provides links to clips fr