United Nations Multilateral Conventions along the Silk Road 5th IRU EURO-ASIAN ROAD TRANSPORT CONFERENCE ALMATY, 11-12 JUNE 2009 Join and Implement United Nations Multilateral Conventions along the Silk Road Madan B. Regmi Transport Division UNESCAP, Bangkok

Outline Introduction to ESCAP region Euro-Asian Container Trade Intergovernmental Agreements: AH, TAR ESCAP Resolution 58/11:UN International Conventions Operation of Transport Corridors Development and Facilitation of International Transport Concluding remarks

At a glance: Area Population (2006) GDP (2006) Import (05) Export (05) 62 member countries 12 land locked countries 4 billion people (61% of world population) 29% of world GDP Unbalanced Development Concentrated in coastal areas 635 million people in absolute poverty Area Population (2006) GDP (2006) Import (05) Export (05) (m sq km) (billion) (billion US $) (bilion US __________ ESCAP 53.5 (36%) 4.03 (61.2%) 10,055 (29%) 2,987(27.9%) 3,274 (31.4%) World 148.7 6.59 34, 694 10,712 10,441 (Source: Statistical Year Book, ESCAP)

Forecast container trade (2005-2015) 10.5 mil. 26.1 mil. Asia 13.6 mil. 28.3 mil. Europe 9.5% 7.6% N. America 6.5% 9.2% 29.9 mil. 80.4 mil. 10.4% 7.4 mil. 17.7 mil. 8.1 mil. 15.1 mil. World Total: 113.6 m TEU (2005) 7.6% 235.7 m TEU (2015)

Container Export and Import 12 Landlocked Countries Container Export and Import 15.8% p.a.

Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network 141,000 km, 32 countries Intergovernmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network entered into force on 4 July 2005 28 signatures, 23 Parties Obligations of the Parties Adopt AH network Develop routes in conformity with standards Display AH route signs Working Group on the Asian Highway 3rd WGM-4 September 2009, Bangkok

Status of the Asian Highway (2006) US$ 18 billion-priority needs AH Investment Forum

Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway Network 114,700 km, 28 countries 8,300 Km Missing Links US$ 25 billion 22 signatories 8 Parties Enters into force on June 11 2009 Ceremony to mark the entry into force of the Agreement in Bangkok

ESCAP resolution: 48/11 Seven International Transport Conventions Convention on Road Traffic, 1968 Convention on Road Signs and Signals, 1968 TIR Convention, 1975 Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of Commercial Road Vehicles, 1956 Customs Convention on Containers, 1972 International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982 Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), 1956

Contract Road Goods Transport (CMR) ,1956 TIR Convention, 1975   Road Traffic, 1968 Road Signs & Signals, 1968 Contract Road Goods Transport (CMR) ,1956 TIR Convention, 1975 Temporary Importation Commercial Vehicles, 1956 Customs Container Convention, 1972 Harmonization of Frontier Controls Goods, 1982 Armenia X Azerbaijan China S* Georgia Iran (IR) Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Mongolia X  Russian Federation Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Legend: X = Ratification, accession, definite signature; S = Signature; *Done by the Former Republic of China

Operation of Intermodal Transport Corridors Identification, 2. Formalization, 3. Opertionalization Corridor identification (Phase 1): Geographical Coverage across countries Define Corridor include agreed routes (political) Important trade flow routes Potential of immediate operation Not “theoretical” or “ideal” corridors Have scope for improvement Formalization (Phase 2) Agreements Corridor based Memorandum of Understandings Terms of reference Operation Steering Committees, Detail operation TOR  11 11

Facilitation of International Transport along the Silk Road Accession and implementation of UN Conventions Conclusion of Bilateral/Subregional/Regional Agreements Shanghai Cooperation Organization -Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport Multilateral Framework Agreements-TRACECA, ECO, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Euro-Asian Transport Linkages (EATL) New Euro-Asian Land Transport Initiative (NELTI) Coordination and partnerships among member countries, international organizations, private sector

Concluding Remarks Growth of trade within Asia and between Asia and Europe Demand for improved inland intermodal distribution network Utilize the regional intermodal transport infrastructure for cross-border, transit transport and trade Accede and implement Intergovernmental Agreements, UN international Conventions and other initiatives Good practices/examples of transport operations are within the region Build on existing national, subregional and regional initiatives: NELTI, GMS, CAREC, SCO, TRCECA, ECO, Increasing role of private sector in developing of transport infrastructure, provision operations and of logistics services Policy geared towards tackling issues and challenges for sustainable transport development and operation UNESCAP ready to collaborate with international organizations, private sector organizations and member countries

Email: escap-ttd@un.org Thank you! Transport Division Tel: 66-2-288 1571 Fax: 66-2-288-3050 http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/ Email: escap-ttd@un.org