Leipzig: The Annual Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF) held in Leipzig, Germany, under the chairmanship of Azerbaijan, concluded successfully on May 8.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the last day of the Summit featured a special session on ‘The Middle Corridor: A Strategic Investment in Resilient, Competitive and Future-Ready Eurasian Connectivity.’ This session brought together transport ministers from ITF member states, representatives from the ITF Secretariat, international organizations, financial institutions, regional entities, logistics companies, and think tanks.
Rahman Humbatov, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport, emphasized that the Middle Corridor is not merely an alternative route but serves as a sustainable and strategically competitive transport connection between Asia and Europe. Hirohisa Tsuruta, Japan’s Deputy Minister for Policy of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, underscored the economic development opportunities along the Middle Corridor. William Thompson, Head of the Eurasia Division within the Global Relations and Cooperation (GRC) of the OECD, discussed realizing the potential of the Middle Corridor.
Fariz Aliyev, Head of the Transport Policy Department of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, made a presentation on the role of the Middle Corridor in developing sustainable and competitive transport links in Eurasia. The session and panel discussions focused on the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor as a resilient and future-oriented transport link initiated by Azerbaijan.
Following the exhibition arranged as part of the Summit, the closing session was held. Rahman Humbatov noted Azerbaijan’s significant contributions to the Forum’s activities during its presidency of the ITF. In his closing remarks, Young Tae Kim, ITF Secretary General, expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for its successful and productive presidency.
The event, centered on the theme ‘Funding Resilient Transport,’ holds particular importance amid challenges like climate change, urbanization, and technological innovation. As the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers, it serves as a key platform for transport policy development. Since 2008, ministers from the ITF’s 69 member countries, along with international organizations, lawmakers, and representatives from business and academia, have convened annually in Leipzig to discuss transport’s future.
The Forum now attracts over 1,200 participants from more than 80 countries, reflecting growing global interest and expanding engagement through high-level discussions and exhibitions. The 2026 Summit will be the second in the 2025-2027 ITF trilogy on transport sustainability, focusing on strengthening system resilience to enhance long-term coordination, efficiency, and reliability of transport infrastructure and operations.
Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency