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PRESS RELEASE
Paris, 17 February 2011
Ministers meet to debate “Transport for Society”
Registration for International Transport Forum’s 2011 Summit Opens with Early Bird Discount until 30 April
Registration is now open for the International Transport Forum’s 2011 summit, to be held from 25-27 May. Transport Ministers, industry leaders and experts from around the world will gather in the city of Leipzig (Germany) to debate the theme “Transport for Society”.
“Future transport systems will have to meet the aspirations of about 9 billion people, most of whom will live in cities. In addition, rising incomes will place high expectations on transport services,” said Jack Short, Secretary General, International Transport Forum.
The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an intergovernmental organisation that acts as a strategic policy think tank for the transport sector and organises an annual summit for Ministers from its 52 member countries and beyond. The summit has become the leading platform for a global dialogue on the future of transport and mobility between policy-makers, business leaders, research and civil society.
Spain holds the presidency of the International Transport Forum 2011.
In a joint welcome message, José Blanco López, Minister of Development and Transport, Spain; Dr. Peter Ramsauer, Federal Minister of Building, Transport and Urban Development, Germany; and Jack Short, Secretary of the International Transport Forum, said:
“A world without the very real daily benefits of mobility has become unimaginable. But all too often transport is taken for granted and societal demands on transport are constantly increasing. Transport systems must be adapted to better serve us all, but these systems are complex, and not easy to change. Opportunities for more open, effective dialogue on the development of transport systems should be pursued in order to facilitate a better understanding throughout society of transport issues.”
Short added, “The demands that transport will put on global resources, including energy and the environment, will be so large that it is imperative for transport to function as efficiently as possible. At the same time, investments in transport systems need to be maintained, as they underpin the creation of wealth and the growth of incomes of which people aspire.
This year’s summit in Leipzig is an opportunity for transport leaders from around the world to debate and strengthen the sector’s role in human development.”
To find out more about the programme of the International Transport Forum’s 2011 summit and to take advantage of the early registration discount, please visit www.internationaltransportforum.org/2011
Contact
Aline Plez/Suzanne Parandian
Communication Officer
T +33 (0)1 45 24 94 35
E aline.plez@oecd.org / suzanne.parandian@oecd.org
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