The Sixth Meeting of the Working Group on Trans-Asian Railway Network, held recently in Bangkok, saw the groundwork concluded by transport officials and experts from the key countries in the region to adopt several amendments to the intergovernmental agreement in line with the changing patterns and growing needs of intra and interregional trade and transport networks.
Since its formation in 2009, the Trans-Asian Railway Network has been playing a pivotal role in the Asia-Pacific's railway development by efficiently connecting national railway networks into a regional network, creating catalytic and synergetic effects for economic and social development among member countries.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has provided a new window of opportunities to boost railway transport in Asia and the Pacific. Promoting railway transport has also become crucial to deal with several negative impacts of the transport sector in recent years such as high emissions, accidents, local pollution and road congestion.
10th anniversary of Trans-Asian Railway Network
"2019 marks the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the Intergovernmental Agreement Trans-Asian Railway Network and the year when the number of Contracting Parties reached 20, with Turkey joining the Agreement.
The Working Group on the Trans-Asian Railway Network remains a unique regional platform to identify opportunities for strengthening international railway transport in the region and build synergies with the Asian Highway network and the network of dry ports of international importance," said Weimin Ren, Director, Transport Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Electronic information exchange
The two-day meeting held on Dec 11, 2019 had discussions on electronic information exchange among railways, as it has become imperative to avoid multiplicity and divergence in exchanging electronic information to facilitate the seamless flow of information along international railway corridors to improve their competitiveness.
Linkages of the Trans-Asian Railway Network with dry ports, seaports and operationalization of international rail-based transport corridors also received increasing attention from the railways of the region.
