IRU has urged Asian transport ministers at UN Committee on Transport meeting in Bangkok to implement global UN trade facilitation and security tools.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto has addressed the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Committee on Transport, a high-level roundtable on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through sustainable, inclusive and resilient transport development in the region.
“If the pandemic experience has reaffirmed anything, it’s the importance of global coordination to allow supply chains around the world to continue functioning during uncertain times. Harmonised UN tools based on international standards and mutual recognition foster predictability, helping transport companies to effectively manage their operations,” said Umberto de Pretto.
“UNESCAP governments have UN conventions at their disposal, including their digital versions, such as eTIR and e-CMR, to significantly improve the flow of goods. We strongly encourage any country that has yet to ratify the conventions to do so,” he added.
“Trucks are facing unnecessarily long waiting times at borders across the region and beyond, measurable in days if not weeks. It doesn’t need to be this way. Tried-and-tested UN instruments can significantly speed up border crossings and help goods reach communities efficiently and securely,” he concluded.
