Technical assistance

IRU advises governments, public authorities, and international and regional institutions on improving road safety; trade and transit facilitation, security and transparency; transport standards and efficiency; and mobility and logistics sector performance.

With 75 years of experience in delivering impact on the ground, IRU’s network spans more than 100 countries.

IRU delivers development and technical assistance projects with its membership base, representing more than 3.5 million transport operating companies worldwide, and trusted partnerships with hundreds of multilateral and national organisations across the globe.

A notable example is TIR, the United Nations' longest continuous private-public partnership, in place since 1949.

Investing in development

Road transport underpins every UN Sustainable Development Goal.

Moving people and goods efficiently, safely and sustainably by road – in domestic and international multimodal mobility networks and logistics supply chains – is a fundamental component of all successful economies and communities.

In a globalised world, building a more professional road transport sector and better cross-border procedures drives multiple benefits in development, economic growth, trade, social prosperity, inclusion, safety, security and sustainability.

Our portfolio

Projects are delivered via two complementary service portfolios: formalising and professionalising the transport sector and improving trade facilitation and transit optimisation.

1. Industry formalisation

Recommend new legal entities and registration processes
Formalise contractual relationships, develop contracts
Set up industry representation such as federations and associations
Guide and train industry representative organisations

2. Institutional framework and market structure

Develop new and enhance existing legal frameworks on access to the profession and market
Road safety

3. Training and certification

Set up professional qualification standards and frameworks
Develop capacity in training programmes (driver, managers, intermediaries & instructors), examination procedures, certification schemes, and training centre operations

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Certification & Standards

1. TIR accession and implementation

Develop and support implementation of national strategies
Establish best practice and knowledge sharing programmes

2. Border crossing optimisation

Conduct needs assessments (public and private actors)
Develop and/or execute strategy (national & international)

3. Transit and transport policy development

Transcribe international law into national regulations
Support new bi- and multilateral trade agreements
Assist countries in implementing transit related objectives of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

4. Digital solutions for transport and logistics

Develop custom solutions for B2B and B2G connectivity
Advise on transport and transit digitalisation strategies and solutions

More information

Facilitating trade and transit

Why IRU?

A unique public/private perspective
A global not-for-profit organisation bridging public and private sectors to identify and roll out solutions.
Proven experience
75 years of “on-the-ground” experience and knowledge, with an in-depth understanding of problems and solutions, and a proven ability to scale up positive change effectively through private sector networks.
Official UN status
Observer status in major UN bodies, representing the road transport industry; mandated by the UN to run the TIR system.
Long-standing partnerships with global and regional multilateral bodies
Partnerships with the ILO, ITC, UNECE and other UN bodies; ITF/OECD; the European Union, EEC, ECO, BSEC, OAS and many other regional bodies.
Strong global member and partner network
Extended expertise and delivery potential with local experts in 100+ countries in all global regions; IRU Academy programmes in 40+ countries (100,000+ drivers trained).
Recognised international standards
Experience in developing and implementing global standards, for example the United Nations TIR, ADR and CMR conventions.

IRU advises governments, public authorities, and international and regional institutions on improving road safety; trade and transit facilitation, security and transparency

Our projects

IRU has a strong track record in development and technical assistance project delivery. Explore some of our past projects.

Trade facilitation and digitalisation in Central Asia
Formalising and professionalising the road transport sector in Togo
Upgrading driving licence and road safety inspection training capacity in Benin
Defensive driving capacity building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Road safety and transport facilitation training capacity in the League of Arab States
Training capacity for economic, rational and safe driving in Tunisia
Road transport sector reform guide with the World Bank
Revision of the TIR chapter of Pakistan’s customs code