BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 12. Azerbaijan plays an increasingly critical role in regional and east-west trade, Umberto de Pretto, Secretary-General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), told Trend.
"With Azerbaijan's growing significance in regional and east-west trade, we maintain constant communication with our public and private Azerbaijani partners, including our member, the Azerbaijan International Road Carriers Association," he said.
De Pretto highlighted that optimizing transport along the Middle Corridor was a central topic during the General Assembly of the Union of Road Transport Associations in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Region held in Baku, where discussions with Azerbaijan's Chairman of the State Customs Committee were held.
De Pretto underscored the importance of the Middle Corridor as a vital link connecting Europe and Asia, unlocking economic potential, and offering an alternative to existing trade corridors. He emphasized that this corridor reduces dependency on traditional transit routes while providing a faster trade route.
Regarding IRU's strategic vision, the general secretary emphasized that advancing societies through safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable mobility and logistics will remain the IRU guiding principle in 2024 and beyond. He emphasized a particular focus on addressing what they term the "3Ds": driver shortages, decarbonization, and digitalization.
Additionally, de Pretto highlighted that 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the TIR system. In commemoration of this significant milestone, IRU has devised numerous impactful initiatives aimed at celebrating this achievement and perpetuating the facilitation of efficient and secure trade.