Colombia joins the International Transport Forum
Colombia has joined the International Trasport 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 second-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. Brazil is an observer country.
The ITF, housed by the OECD in Paris (France), acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises 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.
Colombia’s Minister for Transport, Ms Ángela María Oróczo Gómez, 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.”
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.”
Media Contact:
Michael KLOTH
Head of Communications
International Transport Forum
[email protected]
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM
Who we are
The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 62 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is administratively integrated with the OECD yet politically autonomous.
What we do
ITF works for transport policies that improve peoples’ lives. Our mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the role of transport in economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion and to raise the public profile of transport policy.
How we do it
ITF organises global dialogue for better transport. We act as a platform for discussion and pre-negotiation of policy issues across all transport modes. We analyse trends, share knowledge and promote exchange among transport decision-makers and civil society. ITF’s Annual Summit is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the leading global platform for dialogue on transport policy.
