UN General Assembly Hosts High-Level Meeting on Sustainable Transport Cooperation
A high-level meeting on cooperation in the field of sustainable transport was recently held in the UN General Assembly Hall, with Turkmenistan leading the initiative. On April 17, 2024, the meeting, convened by the President of the UN General Assembly, D. Francis, took place as part of the Sustainable Development Week and was attended by heads of specialized international organizations, national ministries and departments of the transport sector, as well as diplomatic missions of UN member countries.
The participants highlighted Turkmenistan’s active role in promoting the global transport agenda and discussed the challenges facing the world community in developing sustainable transport. Emphasis was placed on the importance of implementing coordinated actions to ensure accessible, affordable, and sustainable transport for all, aligning with the action plan for the implementation of the UN Decade on Sustainable Transport for 2026-2035.
Decisions made by the UN General Assembly at Turkmenistan’s initiative, such as the proclamation of the UN Decade on Sustainable Transport for 2026-2035 and the establishment of World Sustainable Transport Day on November 26, were recognized as foundational steps for international cooperation in the transport sector. The meeting also reflected on key documents from the UN Global Conferences on Sustainable Transport held in Ashgabat in 2016 and Beijing in 2021.
Participants acknowledged the significance of hosting a high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly on one of the key areas of the global Development Agenda until 2030, calling for a multilateral transport dialogue to develop strategies for achieving transport sustainability worldwide, enhancing infrastructure, and sharing best practices.
During the meeting, national delegations of UN member countries addressed various issues related to multilateral cooperation in transport, including increasing investments in transport infrastructure, developing multimodal transport systems and logistics hubs, integrating sustainable transport policies into climate change measures, expanding access to public transport, and ensuring accessible and environmentally friendly transport services at the national level while considering social aspects.
Following the meeting, the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly will prepare a consolidated report and recommendations based on the discussions and outcomes of the high-level meeting on cooperation in sustainable transport.
