1. UIC Regional Assembly Middle-East (RAME)
Action Plan 2011 / 2012
Draft
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010
Paul Véron, Director, UIC Coordinator for the Middle-East

2. Working themes 1) UIC Middle-East Regional Office in Tehran Activities
(Permanent activity)
Activities
Implementation of Programme of Work for the Office
 (approved at 7th RAME meeting, May 2010)
Preparation and follow-up of RAME meetings / decisions
Follow-up of RAME Action Plan, progress reports, communications
Consolidation of RAME community, extension to new members
Preparation of agreements / MoUs with international / regional organisations (ECO, UNESCWA, UNESCAP, Regional banks,..)
Centralised lists of RAME experts in technical issues (in connection with technical workshops)
Organisational support for RAME conferences / seminars / workshops
Responsible
Team of UIC ME Regional Office at RAI HQ, led by Mr. Abbas Nazari.
In close cooperation with RAME Members and UIC HQ
Estimated budget for 2011:
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

3. Working themes
2) Vision and perspectives for an integrated Rail Transport System in the Middle-East
Gaining support from governments, international organisations, financial institutions, investors
Concluding agreements / MoUs
Activities
High-level Conference under the theme “Towards a competitive, interconnected Rail transport System – Projects and Perspectives in the Middle-East”, targeted at decision-makers from Policy, Economy, Finance, International Institutions, Business and Trade
Organisation in Turkey, Spring 2011
Preparation in partnership with International Organisations: ECO, UNECE, UNESCAP, UNESCWA, OTIF, EIB, IDB,..
Responsible
RAME Members motivate Ministers and high-level participants, heads of Regional Organisations
UIC invites International Institutions (UNECE, EU, EIB, OTIF…)
Organising Committee: TCDD with UIC, liaison with ME Regional Office
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

4. Working themes 3) Investors Forum Activities Responsible
Encouraging new business opportunities with a diversity of stakeholders (ports, shipping lines, intermodal operators,..)
Attracting new investors into railway financing (World bank, regional banks, private investors)
Encouraging new forms of partnerships, joint ventures.
Activities
A RAME Investors Forum in a Middle-East country (Dubai? A Gulf State?) in 2011 or 2012?
Principle to be approved. Location to be found.
Responsible
UIC RAME Regional Office in liaison with host railway / country, UIC and all RAME Members
Estimated cost 2011 or 2012: 50,000 Euros
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

5. Working Theme 4: Technical cooperation issues
4.1 Railway Safety
Developing a Safety database for the Middle-East
According to methodology experienced by UIC Members
Supporting RAME Members in their efforts to develop a Safety Management System (SMS)
Activities
1st UIC / RAI Seminar on Railway Safety (January 2008, Tehran)
2nd UIC RAME Educational Seminar on Railway Safety (4-5 May 2010, Tehran)
Exchange on methodology for database and SMS development
Designation of RAME safety experts (as permanent contact with UIC Safety Unit)
Preparation by UIC of a collection of methodologies presented during the seminar (CD-ROM)
Dissemination to all Middle-Eastern Railways
Further work on RAME Safety Database in synergy with UIC Safety Database (RAME Safety experts WG)
Responsible
RAME Regional Office with technical support from UIC HQ / Safety Unit
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

6. Working Theme 4: Technical cooperation issues
4.2 Infrastructure Maintenance – Asset Management System
Developing exchanges and benchmarking on best practices in Rail infrastructure management
Disseminating information on methodologies and UIC project results in the field of Infrastructure maintenance and Infrastructure asset management
Lowering Infrastructure costs in construction, operations, maintenance, renewal.
Activities
1st UIC RAME Seminar on “Infrastructure Maintenance – Asset Management” held on September 2010 in Amman, Jordan, at the invitation of Aqaba Railways (ARC)
Participants from Jordan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Italy.
Follow up - Next steps:
Dissemination of all information presented during the seminar.
CD-Rom (digipack) prepared by UIC for dissemination to all RAME Members
Invitation to Middle-Eastern Railways to participate to UIC’s technical activities (Rail System Forum, presentations on INNOTRACK,..)
Starting a specific technical project for RAME Railways with extreme conditions (desert, temperature).
Project submitted in RAME Meeting by Eng. Hussein Krishan, Director General of ARC, technical support from UIC
Responsible
Working Group of RAME experts
Coordination by ME Regional Office
Technical support by UIC (Rail System Department)
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

7. Working Theme 4: Technical cooperation issues
4.3 Railway construction, Operations and Maintenance in Desert and extreme Conditions
Promoting benchmark and exchange of experience and best practises
Optimising Safety of rail Operations and Reducing maintenance costs (in connexion with Desert conditions, sand, temperature,..)
Preparation of a UIC Guideline (best practises, recommendations...) by “Desert Working Group” for general use by UIC Members
Activities
1st UIC / RAI Technical Workshop on Desert Conditions
 (January 2008, Tehran)
All presentations of this Tehran workshop available on CD-Rom (digipack) produced by UIC
Proposal for a new project to be submitted to RAME assembly by Eng. Hussein Krishan, Director General of Aqaba Railway ARC
Responsible
Follow-up by RAME Regional Office
Contributions from all RAME Members
Technical support from UIC HQ (Rail System Department)
Ideally a multi-regional project
Budget estimation:
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

8. Working Theme 4: Technical cooperation issues
4.4 International
« Oil Rail » Project
Promoting international transport of Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products by Rail
New activity with a regional and multi-regional scope
Activities
1st International Rail Oil Conference in Spring 2011 (to be confirmed)
Proposal by Niroo Rail, Iran
Sessions / Workshops dedicated to all issues of Oil and Gas transportation:
Technology, Operations and Safety, Marketing, Commercial agreements, Regulations,..
Importance of ensuring participation from experienced countries (Oil and Gas producers), typically a multi-regional dimension
Objective of developing a specific UIC project (Leaflet?) for general use by UIC members. Project in UIC Freight Department
Responsible
Niroo Rail as a promoter, UIC RAME Regional Office, all UIC Members for the content (Middle-East, Asia, Russia
Estimated budget in 2011: 93,000 Euros (possibly a multiregional project)
Possibility of sponsorships (oil companies,..)
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

9. Working Theme 4: Technical cooperation issues
4.5 Security Experts Group
Developing international exchange, cooperation and partnerships on all issues related to railway security:
Security of passengers and goods
Security of train operations and infrastructures
Fighting terrorism, vandalism
Activities
Meeting of RAME Rail Security Experts prior to UIC World Security Congress
(Istanbul, 22 June 2010)
Exchange on priorities of the ME Railways in Security issues.
 Proposals:
For ME Railways to be more closely involved in activities of UIC Security Platform
(a global working body)
To consider whether there is a need for a specific WG on Security issues in the ME.
Possibility of multi-regional project (e.g. with Asia), (integrated in Security Platform or with technical support of Security Platform).
Responsible
Regional Office in liaison with Security Experts of RAME Railways
Support by UIC Security Platform  
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

10. Working themes 5) Developing Expertise – Training and education
Activities
Developing and educational programme / training activities specifically targeted at the needs of the Middle East railways
New project: Network of Rail Training Centres (participation of ME training centres?)
Responsible
International Railway Academy, Tehran
With technical support  from UIC HQ (Nathalie Amirault, Expertise Development Division), Meryem Belhaj (Safety Division, Human Factors)
Estimated cost for 2011: ?
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

11. Working themes 6) Communications Activities Responsible
Developing the exchange of relevant information within the Middle-East railways community
Promoting the activities of the UIC RAME
Promoting internationally projects and strategies of the individual Middle-East railway companies
Activities
Reporting on RAME activities through new UIC website dedicated to Middle-East Region, link with website of Regional Office), press releases, dissemination of information on conferences, seminars (CD,..)
Regular Service of business news (Esmerk service) specifically created for the Middle-East railways
Responsible
RAME Regional office with UIC HQ (Communications
Department) and RAME railways’ support
Estimated cost for 2011:
20,000 Euros
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010

12. Thank you for your kind attention
Paul Véron, Director, UIC Coordinator for the Middle-East
8th RAME Meeting, Istanbul, 23 November 2010