Jointly organised by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), this roundtable focused on the Global Green Freight Corridors Initiative (GGFCI), which aims to encourage cooperation between states, international organisations and other partners in order to facilitate the development of low-emission freight corridors.

Bringing together transport ministers and representatives of international organisations, the event aimed to strengthen international cooperation in support of more sustainable, resilient and interconnected freight transport corridors. Discussions focused in particular on the decarbonisation of freight transport, infrastructure development, multimodal connectivity, digitalisation and the harmonisation of regulatory frameworks.

In this context, the Secretary General of OTIF highlighted the role of rail transport in the transition towards more sustainable transport systems. The Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF), which promotes legal and technical interoperability and thereby facilitates international rail transport, provides an essential framework for the development of efficient and interconnected freight corridors. Similarly, by enhancing legal certainty for creditors, the Luxembourg Protocol on matters specific to railway rolling stock facilitates the financing of rolling stock and thus the investment required for the development of rail freight. OTIF provides the secretariat for the Supervisory Authority of the International Registry established by the Protocol.

The Secretary General of OTIF warmly thanks the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye for its invitation and for organising this event.