1 2 nd Expert Group Meeting Euro-Asian Transport Linkages 3-5 November 2004, Odessa Asian Highway Network providing Euro-Asian Highway Linkages M. B. Regmi Transport and Tourism Division UNESCAP

Issues and challenges in developing international highway linkages Asian Highway Network Status of international roads (AH) in Central Asia and Caucasus Investment and priorities for the development of the Asian Highway Conclusions Presentation Outline

3 Development of the International Highway Linkages: Issues and Challenges Standards and condition of infrastructure Maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure Financing development and maintenance of highway infrastructure Facilitation of border crossings Coordination among countries and agencies

Goal: To promote regional cooperation/trade Criteria for identification of routes: – Capital to capital links – Industrial and agricultural centres – Sea, river and air ports – Container terminals & depots – Tourism attractions Maximize use of existing infrastructure Coordinated plan for development Asian Highway

5 Formulation of the Asian Highway North-East Asia 2002 South East and South Asia 1993 Central Asia 1995

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27 member States signed the Agreement –26 signed at Shanghai in April 2004 and Malaysia signed at New York –3 definitive signatures and 3 ratifications Contracting Parties – Adopt AH network – Negotiating procedures – Conform to AH design standards – Display AH signs Working Group on the Asian Highway – Provides negotiating forum The Intergovernmental Agreement

Conformity to the Asian Highway Standard Unreported 2% 2,700 km Class III 29% 41,600 km Class II - 30% 42,900 km Class I - 8% 11,000 km Below III 17% 23,700 km Primary - 14% 19,600 km

9 Status of the Asian Highway

10 AH providing Euro Asia Highway Linkages Urumqi Moscow Tashkent Kashi Tehran Istanbul Baku

11 Euro-Asian Highway Linkages

12 Status of Roads

13 Status of Asian Highway in CA and Caucasus

14 Condition of Highway

15 Traffic

Upgrading of the Network below Class III to minimum Class III (2 lanes, Paved) Rehabilitation, upgrading of AH sections to Class II or above standards Maintenance of Asian Highway routes Policy initiatives for sustainable maintenance The Intergovernmental Agreement Development and Upgrading of the Asian Highway

17 Asian Highway: Investment needs and Priorities Review current status of the Asian Highway network Assessment of investment requirements for construction, upgrading and maintenance Intermodal connections Identify AH national and subregional priorities Showcase identified priority projects Subregional Expert Group Meetings

18 Prioritization process Part of Regional/Subregional Network/National Priority Provide inter-country links/links to land locked country Does not meet Class III Sections in poor condition Sections nearing traffic capacity Sections with high potential/socio-economic benefits Country input

19 Improvement and facilitation of transport across border  International Transport Conventions  ESCAP resolution: 48/11–seven transport facilitation conventions  Road Traffic, Road Signs and Signals  TIR Conventions, Temporary Importation of Commercial Vehicles, Customs Convention on Containers  Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, International Carriage of Goods by Road  Transport Facilitation Agreements  Facilitation of land transport in the Greater Mekong Subregion (with ADB)  Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport with Shanghai Cooperation Organization

20 Forthcoming UNESCAP Transport Activities Subcommittee on Transport Infrastructure and Facilitation and Tourism, November 2004, Bangkok, Thailand SPECA Project Working Group Meeting on Transport and Border Crossing, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 9-10 December 2004 Expert Group Meeting on Identifying Investment needs and Priorities for the development of Asian Highway Network, January 2005, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

21 Conclusions Prioritization of investment for road infrastructure development, upgrading and maintenance Road Transport Facilitation Agreements/Arrangements: SCO The Intergovernmental Agreement on AH –entry into force, and be catalyst for coordinated development of regional highways Working Group on the Asian Highway: provides forum for regular contacts: negotiations, sharing and exchange of experiences information

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