The Sultanate of Oman has recently become a member of the International Transport Forum (ITF), a global organization focused on all modes of transportation. Oman, along with Saudi Arabia and Dominican Republic, were welcomed into the ITF family, increasing the organization’s membership to 69 countries. The decision to admit these three nations was made by the ITF’s Council of Ministers of Transport during a meeting in Leipzig, Germany. The ITF is the only intergovernmental organization with a global mandate for all transport modes, and it serves as a think tank for transport policy.
Senior representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology in Oman expressed their gratitude for being embraced by the ITF. They look forward to collaborating with the organization and other member nations to enhance connectivity and improve infrastructure in Oman. The country is keen on attracting investments in the transport sector, modernizing infrastructure with new technology, promoting green mobility, and strengthening public transport systems and logistics. The inclusion of Oman in the ITF family is expected to offer opportunities to enhance knowledge and share common practices in the transport sector.
The Director General of Oman Logistics Centre emphasized Oman’s commitment to being an active member of the ITF and contributing to the organization’s success. With the support of member nations and the ITF, Oman aims to expand its presence on a global scale. The membership in ITF will also help Oman make its transport sector more efficient and advance its green mobility initiatives. The country is working towards achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 and is collaborating with stakeholders to reach its goals under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
The ITF secretary-general, Young Tae Kim, welcomed Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Dominican Republic as the new members, highlighting Oman’s Vision 2040 that focuses on advanced transportation infrastructure integrated with urban and economic development. Oman’s Transport Ministry has plans for zero-emission vehicles, and ITF member countries are ready to assist Oman in its transport system improvements. With the addition of Oman and Saudi Arabia, the ITF now has a total of six members from the MENA region, including UAE, Morocco, Tunisia, and Israel, and 44 European nations.
During the press briefing at the ITF Annual Summit, it was announced that Chile has taken over the presidency of the organization for a year, succeeding Lithuania. Czech Republic and Azerbaijan will serve as first and second vice-presidents, respectively. Czech Republic will assume the presidency after Chile, with the next ITF Annual Summit scheduled to be held in Leipzig in 2025. The ongoing 2024 ITF Annual Summit has attracted over 1,200 delegates from around the world, including journalists, who are participating in debates and discussions on various transport and communications topics.
