The CCTT participated in a Joint Meeting of OSJD-ESCAP Experts in the form of a videoconference on the challenges and opportunities of international rail transport on the Trans-Asian railway network and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic situation

The CCTT participated in a Joint Meeting of OSJD-ESCAP Experts in the form of a videoconference on the challenges and opportunities of international rail transport on the Trans-Asian railway network and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which was held on 7-8 July 2020 under the chairmanship of Mr. Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP, and Mr. Tadeusz Szozda, Chairman of the OSJD Committee.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of railways, international transport organizations interested in the development of freight rail transport.

Within the framework of the sessions and open discussions, topical issues of the current state of international rail transport on the Trans-Asian railway network, political response measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic information exchange (paperless document flow, application of the CIM/SMGS consignment note) between railways and regulatory authorities, and measures to further accelerate international rail transport were discussed.

During the meeting, participants noted the need to develop special measures to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, shared experiences in dealing with the crisis, and identified best practices that are recommended for all participants by ESCAP member states.

Effective use of existing regional transport cooperation mechanisms will help to analyze the current situation in the transport market and identify further measures to strengthen the sustainable development of rail transport.