Dear friends,
On behalf of the staff of the IRU Delegation to the CIS Region, I would like to congratulate you on the coming New Year. May in the New Year the road transport industry flourish, and all creative plans materialize, and I wish you optimism, good health, and full harmonay with people near and dear in your private life. .
The year 2009 was in no way simple. The world economic crisis had its effect on our activities, and, furthermore, the economies of the CIS countries turned out to be more vulnerable than the western countries' economies. According to statistics, the volumes of international road transport haulge in the CIS went down by nearly 30%. In the context of the shrinking haulage in European territories, development of Euro-Asian transport communications acquires special importance, which, in particular, involves the NELTI Project.
We made considerable headway in the development of the NELTI Project in 2009, having successfully accomplished its first phase and going over to phase two. We strengthened the IRU's partnership with Central Asian countries, signing Memorandums of Understanding with the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The IRU took part in organising a trilateral meeting of experts from Kyrgyzstan, China and Uzbekistan to launch into action the long-awaited Agreement on road transport communications between these countries signed back in 1998. And yet another route was added in 2009 to the NELTI routes, one from Europe to Afghanistan.
The coming year, 2010, sets new tasks in the development of Euro-Asian road transport linkages. Our plans include pilot journeys by two caravans - from Europe to Afghanistan, and along the route Tashkent - Andizhan - Osh - Kashgar. I am sure that we shall successfully cope with this task, and it will be yet another chance for us to demonstrate the potential and opportunities offered by road transport that indeed can reach any point of destination.
The second stage of the NELTI project, with its important component, implementation of the Road Map, requires that all its participants step up their collaboration with national competent authorities and governments. This, of course, is not an easy task, but then the result should be highly important, because these efforts are aimed at elimination of administrative barriers.
Our work involves more than implementation of the NELTI project. Formation of the Customs Union and the Eastern Partnership, safety and security in the road transport industry, passenger transport - we have taken up all these issues and will carry on with them in our activities.
The successes scored are our common asset, a result of the efforts by the member associations, the transport operators, and the IRU overall. I am positive that we together are engaged in a great job - laying new routes for road transport and creating favourable conditions for the road transport industry.
In a word, we enter the year 2010 with important plans and great expectations. We rely on your support, and we know that together we can cope with all challenges.
Happy New Year, dear colleagues!
