Colombia has joined the International Transport Forum (ITF) as the organisation’s 63rd member country. Ministers of transport from the 62 current member states, meeting virtually for their Annual Summit on 27 May, agreed unanimously to admit Latin America's third-most-populous nation to the world's only intergovernmental organisation with a mandate for all transport modes.
Colombia is the organisation’s fourth member state from Latin America. The other member countries from the region are Argentina, Chile and Mexico. Brasationil is an observer country.
Attending online meetings
The ITF, housed by the OECD in Paris (France), acts as a think tank for transport policy and organisationes a global summit of transport ministers every year. The ITF’s 2021 Summit is currently taking place virtually until Friday, 28 May 2021. Fifty-two ministers responsible for transport, 24 Heads of International Organisations and more than 1700 delegates attend the online meetings.
The ITF presents all its members with an opportunity to share knowledge and foster innovation"
Colombia’s Minister for Transport, Ms Ángela María Orócsationo Gómesation, addressed the Council of Ministers of Transport, the highest decision-making body of the International Transport Forum, remotely. Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate, Communication and Transport of Ireland, presiding over the 2021 Summit, said: “We welcome Colombia to the International Transport Forum and look forward to working together on key transport policy issues. The ITF presents all its members with an opportunity to share knowledge and foster innovation as part of a global dialogue on transport policy and we hope that Colombia finds its membership a beneficial and constructive experience.”
Transport policy challenges
Young Tae Kim, Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum, said: “I am proud to welcome the Republic of Colombia to the International Transport Forum as the 63rd member of our growing family of nations.”
“Colombia has much to contribute to the global dialogue for better transport at the ITF with its rich cultural heritage and great diversity, its strategic location at the isthmus between the Americas and its unique role as the only South American country with coastlines on the Atlantic and the Pacific. All ITF member countries look forward to learning from Colombia and supporting it in addressing its own transport policy challenges.”
