Baku Hosts ITF Transport Management Board Meeting

As part of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship of the International Transport Forum (ITF), the Forum’s fourth-quarter meetings were held in Baku. Alongside these meetings, a session of the Transport Management Board also took place. At the opening ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, ITF Secretary-General Young Tae Kim delivered a speech, expressing his gratitude to Azerbaijan for the excellent organization and high-level hosting of the event.

The meeting’s agenda included discussions on several key issues. The agenda and minutes of previous meetings were approved. Subsequently, the Secretary-General presented a report on the Forum’s activities and achievements, along with the draft Work Program and Budget for 2026.

During the event, participants were also briefed on several key areas, including the monitoring mechanism for the implementation of the ITF’s strategic recommendations, the activities of the Road Transport Group and the Research Committee, as well as the strategic outlook for documenting international transport research.

The Azerbaijani side emphasized that the Research Committee’s Work Program for 2026–2027 is of particular importance, as it supports the priorities of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship — specifically, the development of recommendations aimed at advancing the digitalization of international transport links and the improvement of urban transport.

It should be noted that during Azerbaijan’s ITF chairmanship, the country’s priorities include strengthening international transport connectivity, expanding the Forum’s membership, and promoting knowledge exchange by increasing the number of member states participating in the ECMT Multilateral License System. Within these priorities, Azerbaijan aims to contribute to the development of a sustainable, integrated, and innovative transport policy.

The meeting also featured a presentation on the draft program for the 2026 Summit, along with discussions on the Azerbaijan Chairmanship’s proposals regarding the recommendation document for ministers.

At the conclusion of the meeting, it was announced that Türkiye will assume the chairmanship of the ITF for the 2027–2028 term. The participating countries agreed on the importance of further strengthening cooperation.