May 9, IRNA
The 13th meeting of heads of the Middle East region railroad companies assembly (RAME), member of International Railroad Union (UIC) kicked off here on Thursday with participation of Irans railroad company senior officials.
The 2-day meeting is hosted by the Director General of Turkeys State Railroad Company Suleiman Karaman and head of UIC Jean Pierre Loubinoux. Heads of a number of railroad companies members of RAME are participating in the gathering.
Deputy Head of Irans Railroad Company Ahmad Khodaei, heading a delegation, is participating in the meeting, too.
In addition to Iran and Turkey, representatives from Iraq, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Afghanistan are participating in the meeting. Saudi Arabia and Syria did not send any representative to the gathering.
On the first day, outlook document for strategic programs for railroad cooperation development in the Middle East for years between 2013 until 2020 was approved.
Meanwhile, activity report of RAME in the year of 2013 was presented and considered.
Director General of Irans Railroad Company in International Affairs and Head of UICs Middle East Bureau Abbas Nazari also presented a report on activity of the bureau.
Among other activities of the first day of the meeting was request of Afghanistan to join the assembly that was approved.
The participants also approved holding a conference dubbed as; COTIF on October 2014 in Tehran.
Educational cooperation development to strengthen railroad expertise in the level of the Middle East and compiling educational programs are among other important decisions of the meeting.
The UIC, with more than 20 members, is the largest specialized organizations in the world in the field of railroad transportation and its main goal is to promote railroad transportation in the world level and considering challenges of transportation in a sustainable development.
© IRNA 2014
