Turkmenistan and Global Sustainable Transport Conference

On the initiative of the Republic of Turkmenistan and direction of the President of Turkmenistan H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the first ever “Global Sustainable Transport Conference” was held on November 26-27, 2016 in Ashgabat. More than 50 countries participated in the conference and more than 40 deputy prime ministers and ministers of transport attended the conference and delivered their valuable speeches. 

A Giant Step
The conference was a giant step towards realization of and achieving of sustainable transports system in the world. The Turkmen government played a very crucial part in the success of this conference.

Turkmenistan’s Geographical Comparative Advantage
Turkmenistan has a comparative advantage in geography which connects Asia with Europe and gives prime importance to the creation of modern transport systems and closely cooperates with neighbouring countries in the development of regional transport corridors through North-South and East-West. Globally Turkmenistan is a pioneer in many valuable initiatives relating to climate change, development, human rights, empowerment of women and sustainable transport systems. It has already initiated broad dialogue on the development of international transport corridors and has sponsored two UN General Assembly Resolutions on these themes which were adopted in December 2014 and December 2015 with the support of many countries.

Interactive and Effective 
The conference brought together key stakeholders from governments, UN and other international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to engage in a dialogue that emphasized the integrated and cross-cutting nature of sustainable transport and its multiple roles in supporting the achievement of the SDGs. All modes of transport road, rail, aviation, ferry and maritime were addressed. The conference also recognized the fundamental role of sustainable transport in fighting climate change and achieving a sustainable future.

Transport Business Summit
During the first Global Sustainable Transport Conference the “Transport Business Summit” was also held on 27 November 2016 in which a wide range of issues related to all modes of transport (air, motor, railroad and marine) were addressed and thoroughly discussed. The subjects of investments in basic and auxiliary infrastructure to environment and safety issues were also tabled.

Greater Awareness
The first-ever UN conference dedicated to sustainable transport reflected the growing awareness of the crucial role that sustainable transport plays in advancing sustainable development and climate action. It sought to show the importance of sustainable transport in promoting economic and social development while protecting the environment. By initiating and holding of a successful first global sustainable transport conference, Turkmenistan has become hub of regional as well as global of connectivity and attraction. 

Disadvantages of Un-Sustainable Transport
It described the numerous challenges caused by unsustainable transport with around one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions being generated by the transport sector and with more than 1.25 million people killed annually in road traffic accidents. Sustainable transport helps to build a sustainable future; it provides access to trade, jobs, markets, education, health care and other services that contribute to better lives. It empowers women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Greater Investments in greener and More Sustainable Transport Systems
 It was decided that greater investment in greener, more sustainable transport systems was essential for propelling the economic and social development that is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It outlined that global, national and local transport systems were hobbled by inefficiencies and a lack of sustainable investments. It provided 10 recommendations on how governments, businesses and civil society should re-direct resources in the transport sector to advance sustainable development.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov: A Great Visionary
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov delivered a remarkable speech at the UN Global Sustainable Transport Conference in Ashgabat. He outlined the importance of sustainable transport system in the national, regional and international economies. He also projected his own country’s contribution in further enhancing regional connectivity through the development of sustainable transport system and different economic corridors. 

Sustainable Transport System: A Shared Understanding
The President stressed that the current global conference on sustainable development of transport system reflected a shared understanding of the need and inevitability of cooperation in this field. According to him, transport is undoubtedly one of the key elements defining the trends of the world development in the long term. It has become the most important factor in the global geo-economy, destined to give it new meaning and a powerful constructive impulse.

Creation of Modern, Integrated, Balanced and High Tech Transportation Infrastructure: An Objective Necessity
President Gurbanguly expressed satisfaction that creation of modern, integrated, balanced and high tech transportation infrastructure is an objective necessity of our time, one of the priorities of the Sustainable Development Goals. The creation of such infrastructure meets the strategic interests of the entire international community and can make tangible contribution to strengthening the international economic relations, encourage investment activities, effectively promote the enhancement of economic and social indicators at international, regional and national levels.

Strategic Importance of Sustainable Transports System
President Gurbanguly spoke about the development of global transport which has not only started but has become increasingly meaningful and coherent, even at the highest level, and attracts new participants such as states, companies, international institutions and organizations.

Sustainable Transports System: Relevancy in Central Asia Countries & the Caspian Basin 
He stressed that establishment of relevant sustainable transport and transit and logistics systems is the need of the hour in all the Central Asian countries and the Caspian Basin that can be achieved through the development of sustainable transports system. It will be achieved through building an extensive, complex, multi-purpose transport infrastructure across continental Eurasia to the sea terminals of the Black Sea and Baltic regions, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

Turkmenistan: Smarter and Hi-Tech Transports System 
He said that at the national level Turkmenistan has already started to implement an ambitious program on creation, development and modernization of transport infrastructure and construction of highways, interchanges and bridges is being carried out at a rapid pace. The Ashgabat International Airport has become functional recently. The international Turkmenbashi sea port is also being built at an accelerated pace. Early next year, the region’s largest road and rail bridges over Amu Darya River will be commissioned that will connect the roads of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Completion of First Stage of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan Railway
The opening of the first stage of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway will take place on November 28, 2016 which will be part of the Asian international transport corridor, passing through the territories of the participating countries as well as Kyrgyzstan, with access to the extensive rail network of China and further to the Asia-Pacific markets.

Committed Turkmenistan at the Global Transport Dialogue
The President showed great commitment to participate in the global transport dialogue. He said that Turkmenistan is ready to speed up and expand this dialogue, filling it with new specific projects and plans. While drafting them, Turkmenistan is primarily guided by its vision of Central Asia as an integral and essential part of modern global development processes.

Turkmenistan’s liaison with Regional Organizations for Sustainable Development 
President Gurbanguly showed his willingness to closely work with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS and the Organization of Economic Cooperation for tapping opportunities in the fields of transports for the further strengthening of regional connectivity. He once again reaffirmed that Turkmenistan will ensure pairing of the models and configurations of traffic flows in the continent on the basis of clear principles and mutually beneficial partnership.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: Importance of Transports
During his speech UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke about the importance of transport, noting that global trade depends on the world’s transport as a source of jobs and economic growth.

“All people, wherever they may live, should be able to safely move from one place to another. Sustainable transport has to answer to the needs of those who have the least. When it does, we can bridge more than physical distances, we can come closer as one human family,” the UN Secretary-General said.

Socio-Economic Disadvantages of Poor Transports System
He also pinpointed many associated challenges to achieve sustainability namely, environmental tasks that relate to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global warming. According to the UN Secretary-General, transport also has significant public health impacts. It is about road accidents that lead to numerous deaths and injuries, as well as air pollution. He stressed the need to have more environmentally friendly and accessible transports system.

Innovative Ideas
He floated a number for resolving the interlocking problems of transport with an integrated policy framework, aligned with the Sustainable Development goals, which takes into account interactions between different modes of transport and addresses social, environmental and other pressing problems in this area.

He concluded that greater investment in greener, environmentally friendly transport systems is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport
The experts, members of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport, included representatives from aviation, road, rail, public transport and maritime industries and associations. The recommendations addressed issues of policy, technology and financing and grew out of the diverse perspectives and practical experience of the panel.

The report found that a transformational change to sustainable transport can be realised through annual investments of around US$2 trillion, similar to the current ‘business as usual’ spending of US$1.4 trillion to US$2.1 trillion.

Investments in sustainable transport, the experts found, could lead to fuel savings and lower operational costs, decreased congestion and reduced air pollution. Additionally, it is estimated that efforts to promote sustainable transport can deliver savings of up to US$70 trillion by 2050.

A move to sustainable freight and passenger transport that included integrated port terminals, well-planned airports and harmonized standards and regulations for efficient border crossings, could produce a global GDP increase by US$2.6 trillion.

Focusing on important issues such as road safety, traffic congestion and climate impacts, the expert panel’s 10 specific actions which are given below:-

The report called for robust engagement by all stakeholders to ensure all members of society have access to jobs, markets, education and health care, through sustainable transport.

Transport Sector: Main Culprit of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
According to the report (November, 2016) at present the transport sector is responsible for approximately 23 per cent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and 3.5 million premature deaths result from outdoor air pollution annually, mostly in low and middle income countries. About 10 to 15 per cent of food is lost during processing, transport and storage given a lack of modern facilities, trucks, access to refrigeration, and poor roads. Nearly one billion people worldwide still lack adequate access to road networks, which increase isolation and marginalization and deepen social inequities. Over 1.2 million people are killed annually in road traffic accidents causing human loss and suffering, billions of dollars of associated costs which amount, in some countries, to 1-3 per cent of GDP.

The report further said that transport can build prosperity in the broadest sense, enhancing the quality of life for all while protecting the environment and fighting climate change. It needed bold innovation and a true partnership among governments, civil society and the private sector.

Ashgabat Statement
During the United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference more than 50 countries endorsed the ‘Ashgabat Statement on Commitments and Policy Recommendations’ with a view to supporting cleaner, greener transport from local transit systems to worldwide multimodal networks.

Recommendations

1. All Modes of Transport
(a) The conference addressed all modes of transport road, rail, aviation, ferry and maritime, including both passengers and freight, and accorded priority attention to the concerns of developing countries, particularly those of Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS.

2. Enhanced Role of Sustainable Transport
(b) Participants reaffirmed commitment to enhancing the role of sustainable transport in connecting people and communities to jobs, schools and health care and in the delivery of goods and services to rural and urban communities, thus providing all with equal opportunities and leaving no one behind.

3. Sustainable Transport’s Role in National GDPs
(c) Different sessions and side activities of the conference demonstrated that sustainable transport drives inclusive growth and access to local, regional and global markets, and powers growth of trade and tourism. The transport sector also makes a significant contribution to national GDP, employment and local and national revenues.

4. Work Together
(d) For achieving sustainable transports system all stakeholders need to work together to ensure the availability of safe, universally accessible, reliable, secure, affordable, fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly, low-carbon, and climate-resilient transport services, systems, infrastructure and operations, with due attention to local, national and regional circumstances.

5. Working Jointly to Cope with Challenges
(e) The conference stressed the need to work jointly to tackle confronting challenges in the field of transport, including safety and security challenges.

6. Tapping of all Opportunities and Re-Thinking
(f) All stakeholders agreed to tap all the tremendous opportunities to re-think the current, largely unsustainable transport policies and to fast-track best practices to a new paradigm of sustainable transport in particular in developing countries.

7. Integrated Multi-Modal Transport And Transit Systems
(g) Work together to put in place integrated multi-modal transport and transit systems and corridors that optimize the comparative advantages of each mode of transport to achieve sustainable transport of passengers and freight within and between countries, including through regional and sub-regional connectivity, integration, and harmonization of transport systems and frameworks.

8. Revision of Silk Road
(h) There was recognition of the need to revive the ancient Silk Road with modern technology and advanced management of transit corridors. The One Belt One Road initiative was welcomed.

9. Development of Multi-Modal Transport Systems
(i) In developing multi-modal transport systems, it is necessary to take into account road, rail, maritime, ferry and air transport, as well as non-motorized transport such as cycling and walking, and emphasis should be placed on low-carbon-based-energy modes of transport and an increased reliance on interconnected transport networks, including public transport systems, for seamless and door-to-door mobility and connectivity of people and goods.

10. Assistance of Developing Countries
(j) It was agreed to assist developing countries, in particular African countries, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, to leapfrog to sustainable transport, including in strengthening policy planning, standard setting and regulatory frameworks.

11. Great Commitments for Rural Areas
(k) All stakeholders further reaffirmed commitment to support efforts to provide communities in rural areas in developing countries with access to major roads, rail lines, and public transport options that enable access to economic and social activities and opportunities in cities and towns and that unleash productivity and competitiveness of rural entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers. Addressing these circumstances will be among the essential steps needed to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its promise to leave no one behind.

12. Expansion of Public Transport Sector
(l) All stakeholders showed commitments to expand the public transport sector, which requires a shift that takes into account multi-modal transport systems, cooperation among stakeholders and transport authorities, policy integration, digital mobility, capacity building and a redirection of finance.

13. Investment in Hard & Soft Infrastructure Development
(m) Participants further reaffirmed commitment to increasing investment in hard and soft infrastructure development and in multimodal transport in the LDCs, including in railways, roads, waterways, airports, warehouses, port facilities and logistics services, and to supporting partnerships designed to strengthen infrastructure building of LDCs.

14. Meeting Special Needs of LLDCS
(n) Addressing the special needs of LLDCs, inter alia, by establishing and promoting efficient transit transport systems that link them to international markets by developing, upgrading and maintaining all modes of transit transport infrastructure, by promoting and harmonising enabling environment, regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements for transit, and by forging genuine partnerships between landlocked and transit developing countries and their development partners at the national, bilateral, sub-regional, regional and global levels.

15. Enhanced Inter-Island Connectivity & Linking the Economies
(o) Further enhancing of inter-island connectivity and linking the economies of SIDS to regional markets and global supply chains, including by integrating them into existing and emerging maritime and multimodal transport and economic corridors, and to encouraging sustainable transport initiatives in the context of the SIDS Partnership Framework. The importance of effective climate change adaptation and DRR for critical coastal transport infrastructure in SIDS was highlighted, as was the related urgent need for capacity-building and financing.

16. Promotion of Harmonization, Simplification and Standardization of Rules and Documentation
(p) The conference re-emphasized the need to promote harmonization, simplification and standardization of rules and documentation, including the full and effective implementation of international conventions on transport and transit as well as bilateral, sub-regional and regional agreements. The benefits of harmonized international regulatory frameworks for transit cooperation include, amongst others, more efficient and effective border and customs controls, simplified and standardized procedures and enhanced cooperation, which will lead to faster, cheaper and more reliable cross-border trade and transport, especially for LLDCs.

17. Reshaping of New Transport Networks
(q) It was resolved to renew efforts to reshape transport networks and planning by optimizing operations through smart hubs, organizing routes and schedules to reduce empty mileage, improving land use planning, and harmonizing regulatory frameworks across the transport sector.

18. Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(r) The participants reaffirmed their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector and to accelerate progress in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

19. Multi-Pronged Strategies to Accelerate Transition to Low-Carbon Energy Sources and Technologies
(s) Participants resolved to take multi-pronged strategies to accelerate transition to low-carbon energy sources and technologies, increase investments in climate-resilient transport infrastructure and encourage uptake of new and innovative technologies, including ICT-based solutions, in support of intelligent multimodal transport systems.

19. Implementation of a Global Market-based Measure
Participants agreed to implementing a global market-based measure to address the increase in total CO2 emissions from international civil aviation above 2020 levels, taking into account special circumstances and respective capabilities of States.

20. Importance of International Maritime Transport
The participants noted that international maritime transport plays an essential role in facilitation of world trade and that the International Maritime Organization, following the adoption of mandatory energy efficiency measures for ships in July 2011, which entered into force on 1 January 2013, is also developing a strategy to consider further measures to reduce GHG emission from ships, including implementation schedule.

21. Reduction of Air Pollution
Air pollution caused by transportation is a growing public health risk, contributing to several millions of premature deaths, predominantly in developing countries. There is a need to improve vehicle and propulsion technology, encourage electric mobility, enhance end-use fuel efficiency in transport, improve and upgrade public transportation, reduce road congestion, encourage vehicle sharing and integrated charging system, and shirt to more compact city planning. In addition, it was emphasized that renewed efforts should be made to support industries in energy-efficient and low-emissions vehicle manufacturing.

22. Disadvantages of Unsustainable Transports
Every year around 1.25 million people are killed, mostly in developing countries and between 20 and 50 million are seriously injured on the world’s roads. It is imperative that the international community redouble efforts to reach the SDG target of halving the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2020 and make renewed efforts to implement relevant UN conventions on road safety. In this regard, participants also highlighted the need for adequate pedestrian and public spaces in cities and the importance of improving street design in ensuring road safety and integration with mass-transit modes.

23. Crucial Role of Public Transport Services & Infrastructure
It was emphasized that public transport services and infrastructure were critical to enable the mobility of people and goods, in particular taking into account needs of vulnerable groups (women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, older persons, indigenous peoples, refugees and internally displaced persons and migrants). This is particularly important for cities, because by 2050 the share of world population living in cities is expected to rise to about 67 percent, with much of the urbanisation happening in developing countries. Sustainable public transport provides enormous benefits for cities, reducing air pollutants and GHG emissions, while contributing to the economic vitality of cities.

24. Launching of Public-Private Partnerships
Governments, local authorities, business and civil society must work together to launch public-private partnerships to develop innovative, smart, forward-looking and people-centered sustainable transport systems. In this regard, a representative of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Transport presented a summary of the discussion at the Ashgabat Transport Business Forum and its outcome document.

25. Mobilization of Finances
Mobilizing finance for sustainable transport will be an enormous challenge, especially given the strain on public finances that exists in many countries. In this context, participants reaffirmed the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, and underscored the vital role of public finance, both domestic and international, in meeting sustainable transport needs and in catalysing all sources of finance, including traditional official development assistance, domestic resource mobilization, direct private investment and a wide array of partnership models, including Public-Private partnerships (PPPs).

26. Integration of Science & Technology
Participants further stressed the need to promote the integration of science, technology and innovation into sustainable transport systems by tapping into technological opportunities in the decades to come to bring about fundamental, transformative changes to transport systems, including energy efficiency technologies as well as the information and communication technologies and called for strengthening capacity building support to developing countries.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Speech

1. Regional Connectivity & Economic Integration
During the conference Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said regional connectivity and Economic integration were the key pillars of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said in the emerging global and regional environment Pakistan was happy to play its role as gateway to Central Asia.

2. Persuasion of Peaceful Foreign Policy
The Prime Minister said a peaceful neighbourhood has remained the norm of Pakistan`s foreign policy and no development policies can yield fruit without peace and security. Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan is fully committed to its responsibilities as a partner in regional and Economic integration.

3. CPEC and One Belt One Road: Engine of Regional Connectivity
He said with projects like CPEC and One Belt One Road, Pakistan has enhanced its geo strategic location into a geo economic advantage. He said CPEC is a package of multiple infrastructure and development projects and will boost connectivity within the region and integrate China, Central Asia, South Asia and Middle East.

4. 21^st Century Belongs to Connectivity
He said 21^st century is the century of connectivity and without adequate internal and regional communication networks countries will lag behind in progress. The Prime Minister said with mutual understanding and collective endeavors we will be able to deliver on the promise of peace, prosperity and development of our peoples.

5. Pakistan & Ashgabat Agreement
He announced Pakistan joining of Ashgabat Agreement and Lapis Lazuli Corridor and hoped that the agreement would prove to be a milestone in achieving the dream of peaceful co-existence through integration of economies, markets and cultures in South Asia, Central Asia and beyond.

Turkmenistan and Asian International Railroad Track
On the special initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Turkmen specialists laid the finishing rails at Akina station (IRA) in the terminal point of the Turkmen-Afghan railway. The project of building the first stage of the Asian international railway corridor section Atamyrat-Imamnazar (Turkmenistan) Akina (Afghanistan) has been carried out and completed.

The Turkmen President highlighted that the official opening of the Asian International Railway Corridor (Atamyrat-Imamnazar-Akina) and an oil terminal (a facility, capable of receiving, storing and delivering petroleum products) at the customs station Imamnazar are events of great importance.

The Asian International Railway Corridor whose strategic section is the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway is destined to become an important link in international transport operations. As part of the project’s first phase, the 85-kilometer-long railway line from Atamyrat to Imamnazar has been constructed and made operational in Turkmenistan. Atamyrat-Imamnazar-Akina railway will have the overall length of 88 kilometers with a 3-kilometer-long section between near-border stations: Imamnazar (Turkmenistan) and Akina (Afghanistan).

The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway will be the “gold link” of the Asian Railway Corridor, which in its turn will be an important line of the international transport networks linking two parts of the large continent Europe and Asia.

The President underlined that on construction of the first stage of the Asian transnational railway project was launched on June 5, 2013 with the participation of the Presidents of fraternal countries the Republics of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He noted that within the short period Turkmen builders has done significant and large-scale work. Two railway bridges were built over the 88 kilometer Atamurat-Ymamnazar (Turkmenistan)-Akina (Afghanistan) section. Moreover, the Gulistan and Ymamnazar rail stations, new rail stations and auxiliary infrastructure facilities were built.

The road which is designed to increase the transport and transit potential of the country will be an important international corridor to Europe, Asia-Pacific and South Asia and will contribute to strengthening the economic and trade cooperation, serving the interests of millions of people. “Establishment of a developed transport and transit infrastructure is our top priority”, said the President of Turkmenistan, noting that new railway and road bridges across the Amu Darya – another large engineering project in the region, will be put into operation within the next days.

President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani emphasized the importance of the new railroad for interstate cooperation. According to him the people of Afghanistan valued the partnership with Turkmenistan and supported its international initiatives aimed at guaranteeing sustainable development all around the world.

The ‘golden juncture’ of the section Atamurat-Ymamnazar (Turkmenistan)-Akina (Afghanistan) the first link of the Asian transnational transport corridor was fastened. 46 railroad cars of the first cargo train loaded with flour, grain, cement, carbamide and sulphur left Atamurat-Ymamnazar (Turkmenistan) for Akina (Afghanistan) during the ceremony.

The President of Turkmenistan also opened the new terminal for the receipt, storage and shipment of oil products at the Ymamnazar station on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border. Oil products will be delivered to the new terminal, the capacity of which is 540,000 tons, by railway and then will be exported by special vehicles.

The new railway running from Atamyrat (Turkmenistan) to Akina (Afghanistan) was laid by the construction subdivisions of the Ministry of Rail Transport of Turkmenistan. Two railway bridges with a width of 5.8 meters each were built over the 88-kilometre Atamurat-Ymamnazar (Turkmenistan)-Akina (Afghanistan) section. The length of one of the bridges is 363 meters and that of the other 256 meters. Moreover, new rail stations and auxiliary infrastructure facilities were built on the Gulistan and Ymamnazar rail stations. Construction work at the first stage of the Asian transnational railway project that started in June 5, 2013 was completed.

Concluding Remarks
The holding of the first ever “Global Sustainable Transport Conference” in Ashgabat was a giant step in the right direction, it was a game changer in the region as well as in the world. It showcased Turkmenistan’s strong commitments for further strengthening of regional connectivity through the development of sustainable transports system. It highlighted Turkmenistan’s leading role in different global initiatives namely, sustainable development, human rights, empowerment of women, climate change and the last but not the least, sustainable transports system. Different on going mega projects in different parts of the country would bring Asia more closely to Europe. Its forward-looking auto-mobile industry and policy are the backbone of its greater regional connectivity.

The conference was attended by several heads of state and government from the region and the world, this was proof that the world community was mindful of the urgent need for connectivity and was united behind the cause i.e. achieving of sustainable transports system. The conference served as the trigger for the processes that would eventually helped ensuring sustainable transport in every part of the word.

The Conference was arranged on the inter-governmental discussions on sustainable transport and stressed that transportation and mobility are central to sustainable development. It recognized the need to promote an integrated approach to policymaking at the national, regional and local levels for transport services and systems to advance sustainable development.

The conference acknowledged that transport drives development enabling trade, tourism, and economic growth and allowing people to access jobs, services, education and the interactions that help create fulfilled lives. Sustainable transport, by extension, drives sustainable development, advancing the people-centered goals at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while protecting and preserving the planet and its resources for generations to come. It facilitates women’s opportunities for employment and empowerment and provides persons with disabilities and elderly people improved access to mobility. Sustainable transport systems enable access to markets and basic services, generate jobs and contribute to human well-being by reducing emissions and improving air quality. A move towards more sustainable transport practices will have a considerable impact on the health, oceans, seas and terrestrial ecosystems, and will help to tackle climate change.

The Global Sustainable Transport Conference brought together key stakeholders from Governments, UN system and other international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to engage in a dialogue that emphasizes the integrated and cross-cutting nature of sustainable transport and its multiple roles in supporting the achievement of the SDGs. The conference acknowledged that sustainable transport is essential to overall achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to efforts to fight climate change, reduce air pollution and improve road safety: Sustainable transport supports inclusive growth, job creation, poverty reduction, access to markets, the empowerment of women, and the well-being of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Focusing on important issues such as road safety, traffic congestion and climate impacts, the UN expert panel’s 10 specific recommendations include the establishment of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, the promotion of sustainable transport technologies and the increase of international development funding. The report calls for robust engagement by all stakeholders to ensure all members of society have access to jobs, markets education and health care, through sustainable transport.

There is an urgent need to build transport systems that are inclusive, integrated, gender-sensitive and that have people’s needs at their core. More than 50 countries endorsed the ‘Ashgabat Statement on Commitments and Policy Recommendations’ with a view to supporting cleaner, greener transport from local transit systems to worldwide multimodal networks. It highlighted the importance of sustainable transport which is a shared global issue and identified areas of regional and international cooperation in the field of sustainable transports system. It stressed the need to promote science and technology and smarter means to achieve the goals of sustainable transports system. It recommended the use of energy-efficient technologies in the fields of transports. It demanded the mobilization of financial resources. It upheld the importance of legal, regulatory and good governance in transport-networks. It asked for shared understanding to develop sustainable transport for all. It projected a “collaborative partnership” for the development of global sustainable transports system. 

During the Global Sustainable Transport Conference the UN Country Team jointly with the Government of Turkmenistan held a side event on the SDG roll out process in Turkmenistan. The UN Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General commended the work carried out in Turkmenistan in rolling out SDGs in the country. The UN Secretary-General congratulated the Government on adopting “nearly 150 SDG targets and nearly 200 indictors to be implemented over the next 15 years” and on starting to design a SDG monitoring system with engagement of all line ministries.

On 28 November 2016, two ceremonies were held for the opening of the first segment Atamurat-Imamnazar-Akina of the Asian international railway network. The first ceremony was held at Imamnazar, the border point of Turkmenistan with Afghanistan, and the second one was at Akina, some eight kilometers inside the territory of Afghanistan. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway is a “gold link” of the Asian Railway Corridor, which in its turn will be an important line of the international transport networks linking two parts of the large continent Europe and Asia. It would enhance Turkmenistan’s regional connectivity and begin a new era of socio-economic integration in the region. It would be a value-addition in the establishment of mega economic corridors in the country and be game-changer and fate-changer for millions of people living in locked-lands areas, creating jobs, businesses and opportunities in the days to come.