Skip to main content

Ministers vow on global transport connectivity

Transport Ministers from 53 countries have agreed a ‘common declaration’ to improve global transport connectivity. The formal declaration text, in which ministers agree that the “seamless transport is a powerful and ambitious strategic vision for the future of transport systems”, was approved at the Annual Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany. The declaration also states that seamless transport “drives the development of better mobility and sustainable economic growth”, an
May 4, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Transport Ministers from 53 countries have agreed a ‘common declaration’ to improve global transport connectivity.

The formal declaration text, in which ministers agree that “seamless transport is a powerful and ambitious strategic vision for the future of transport systems”, was approved at the Annual Summit of the 1102 International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany.

The declaration also states that seamless transport “drives the development of better mobility and sustainable economic growth”, and notes that sustainable transport systems are important for economic prosperity, environmental protection, safety and security of society.

“The International Transport Forum once again underlined that it is the worldwide, leading platform to discuss transport issues”, said Michael Kloth, acting secretary-general of the ITF. “We are glad about the commitment of our member countries to cooperate even closer to reduce inefficiencies at the seams between transport modes, jurisdictions, systems, sectors and countries. In this way, the transport sector can become a real driver for economic growth.”

The Ministerial meeting also welcomed Chile as the 54th member country of the ITF. The country is the first from South America to join the global transport policy body.

In their meeting, Ministers also elected Professor José Manuel Viegas from Portugal as secretary-general-elect of the ITF. Viegas is expected to take up his office this summer, taking over from acting secretary-general Michael Kloth.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ITF helping to plot the future of urban transport mobility
    December 2, 2013
    The 8th APEC Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo on 4-6 Septembersaw high-level discussions on how to enhance connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region through high-quality transport. As a guest, the International Transport Forum (ITF) was also heavily involved in the event, as Guy Woodford reports A transport Connectivity Map visualising Asia-Pacific’s ideal transport network in 2020, and a Quality Transport vision for the region encompassing convenience, safety, security, and sustainability, will b
  • IRF hosts high-level debate on the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) at ITF Summit 2019
    August 12, 2019
    HE Mehmet Cahit Turhan, minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey, opened with a keynote address at the session on "The Belt & Road: Bridging the gaps for sustainable transport and growth in EurAsia". This was organised by the International Road Federation (IRF) on 22nd May 2019 at the ITF Summit 2019 in Leipzig. The panel included top representatives from the World Bank, BSEC, AIIB, IATA, Michelin and PwC and offered a deep insight into key topics surrounding the BRI. Organised jointly with th
  • China joining international transport forum
    April 26, 2012
    China is now a full member of the International Transport Forum. This follows from an announcement made in May 2011 when vice-minister Gao Hongfeng said China's intended to join the Forum.
  • Landmark first meeting of ITF’s Corporate Partnership Board
    January 22, 2014
    The International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) opened a new chapter in its long-standing cooperation with the corporate world after staging its first meeting on Monday 20 January 2014. Twelve multi-national companies from seven countries met in Paris to inaugurate the Forum's new Corporate Partnership Board (CPB). The CPB will serve as the ITF's mechanism for including expert knowledge from corporations in transport and related areas for policy a