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GENERAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Fifty-sixth session EMERGING ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENTS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS, TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (Item 7 (d) of the provisional agenda) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS, TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ON ITS SECOND SESSION
Abbreviations
CONTENTS I. MATTERS CALLING FOR ACTION BY THE COMMISSION OR A. Recommendations for the consideration of the Commission B. Major conclusions and decisions to be noted by the Commission C. Interactive policy development for sustainable and safe transport D. Major issues in the development of infrastructure in the power sector E. Programme planning and implementation F. Preparations for the ministerial conference on infrastructure III. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING Annex I. MATTERS CALLING FOR ACTION BY THE COMMISSION OR BROUGHT TO ITS ATTENTION A. Recommendations for the consideration of the Commission 1. The Committee recommended that a review of all 64 projects within phase I of the regional action programme should be undertaken before the third session of the Committee in 2000 to facilitate the formulation of the regional action programme for phase II (2002-2006) and prioritization of activities. 2. The Committee requested that the main thrust for implementation within the ALTID project should be: (a) the completion of the formulation of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks covering the whole of Asia as well as missing links; and (b) the operationalization/ improvement of the efficiency of international land transport corridors. In that context, the Committee requested that a number of activities should be undertaken by the secretariat on a priority basis. 3. The Committee recommended that the agencies and organizations assisting in drafting subregional transit transport agreements such as ASEAN and ECO should cooperate closely in order to ensure consistency across the various agreements. 4. The Committee requested the secretariat to organize further national-level seminars on the international conventions contained in resolution 48/11 of 23 April 1992 on road and rail transport modes in relation to facilitation measures. The Committee also recognized the need to extend the scope of resolution 48/11 to include road transport conventions concerning the work of crews, temporary importation of private vehicles, and the transport of dangerous goods and perishable foodstuffs, and to consider the incorporation of rail transport conventions. 5. The Committee stressed the importance of the second ALTID project assessment, to be carried out in 2001, and endorsed the plan of action for phase IV (2000-2001) of the ALTID project as reflected in document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/2 and Corr.1. 6. To enhance the capacity of ESCAP to provide assistance in the field of land transport, the Committee requested that a special post of regional adviser in the field of land transport should be established in the ESCAP secretariat to deal with SPECA, landlocked countries and economies in transition, as well as the implementation of Commission resolution 52/9 of 24 April 1996 on intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land bridges. However, as the ESCAP budget for the biennium 2000-2001 had already been finalized, emphasis should currently be placed on the provision of advisory services upon request. 7. The Committee recommended that member countries should be provided with technical assistance and advisory services in understanding and introducing integrated approaches to sustainable transport development. 8. The Committee requested the secretariat to assist countries and subregional groupings, namely ASEAN, ECO and SAARC, in power sector development by facilitating the sharing of experience between countries and in the use of methods and tools such as build-operate-transfer (BOT) and build-own-operate schemes. 9. The Committee called for the enhancement of subregional cooperation in strengthening regulatory frameworks and the eventual integration of electricity networks at the subregional level. 10. The Committee requested that the ministerial conference on infrastructure to be held in 2001 should give special attention to the following areas of high priority: (a) development and promotion of multimodal transport and logistics; (b) inland water transport as an important mode of transport, in particular in the developing countries of the region; (c) promotion of private sector participation in infrastructure development. 11. The Committee reiterated the concern expressed by the Commission at the high rate of vacancies in the secretariat. The Committee also suggested the need for the secretariat to formulate a succession plan and to make vigorous efforts to reduce the number of days required to fill vacant posts. 12. Recognizing that HIV/AIDS was a multisectoral problem which warranted multisectoral solutions, the Committee endorsed the recommendations of the ESCAP/UNDP/UNAIDS Workshop on Reduction of HIV Vulnerability within the Land Transport Sector, held at Bangkok on 22 and 23 November 1999.
B. Major conclusions and decisions to be noted by the Commission
13. The Committee expressed support for the Asia Infrastructure Development Alliance and emphasized the importance of encouraging private sector participation in infrastructure development. 14. The Committee expressed appreciation to the secretariat for preparing the outline structure for country papers on the transport sector, as that would be useful in preparing country papers. It was emphasized that the scope of the country papers would be limited to the transport sector and that they would provide essential data to assist the secretariat in preparing the biennial review on transport, communications, tourism and other infrastructure development in Asia and the Pacific. 15. The Committee reiterated its strong support for the implementation, on a priority basis, of the ALTID project, as well as Commission resolutions 48/11 and 52/9. 16. As the formulation of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks was nearing completion, the Committee expressed the hope that that major objective of the ALTID project would be fulfilled at the beginning of the new millennium. 17. The Committee stressed the need to promote further cooperation between ESCAP and other concerned international organizations, particularly ECE, the European Union, UIC, OSShD, IRU, IRF and PIARC, in the identification and development of the main Asia-Europe land bridges, and establish similar cooperation with ESCWA and ECA for the development of Asia-Middle East-Africa land bridges. The importance of cooperation between ESCAP and UIC for the operationalization of the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway was particularly emphasized. 18. The Committee noted with appreciation activities undertaken by ECE, ESCWA, ASEAN, ECO, ADB and UIC in strengthening transport network linkages and operation and in improving facilitation measures in their respective areas. It expressed satisfaction with the increased level of cooperation between ESCAP, ECE, ECO, ASEAN and ADB. The cooperation of ESCAP and ECE in the implementation of resolution 48/11 and the SPECA programme was particularly appreciated. 19. The Committee noted that there was a need to develop sustainable transport systems which were economically efficient, environmentally sound, socially acceptable and institutionally manageable. The Committee acknowledged that an integrated and interactive approach to policy formulation represented a growing worldwide trend and expressed full support of the secretariat?s efforts in promoting such approaches, taking into account the differences in each country's economic and social background. 20. In order to increase the visibility of the work of the secretariat among members and other interested parties, the Committee urged the secretariat to include qualitative and analytical information on the usefulness and impact of the activities of ESCAP in future documents reporting on the implementation of the programme of work. It requested the secretariat to consider the inclusion of built-in evaluation towards the end of group training activities on an ad hoc basis. It also requested that information should be provided on advisory services, including the responses of member States on the impact of the services rendered, as well as on the use of resources for various groups of activities. The information should be presented graphically. 21. The Committee emphasized that tourism should continue to be accorded a high priority in the programme of work of the secretariat. 22. The Committee stressed that the experience in implementing the regional action programme for phase I of the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific and the achievements should be the basis for formulating the regional action programme for phase II. 23. The Committee noted with appreciation the offer of the Asian Institute of Transport Development, New Delhi, to host a subregional workshop/seminar in collaboration with ESCAP to increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS among key stakeholders in the transport industry. II. DELIBERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS, TOURISM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
A. New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific: review of implementation (Item 4 of the agenda)
16. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/1. The Committee reaffirmed its strong commitment to the New Delhi Action Plan and noted with satisfaction the considerable progress made in implementing the regional action programme for phase I (1997-2001). Several delegations briefed the meeting on their country's participation in selected projects under the Plan, the identification of national focal points and the establishment of national coordination committees. The Committee recommended that a review of all 64 projects within phase I should be undertaken before the third session of the Committee in 2000 to facilitate the formulation of the regional action programme for phase II (2002-2006) and prioritization of activities. The Committee appreciated the offer of ECO to facilitate the review of implementation of the New Delhi Action Plan biennially through the ECO meeting of ministers of transport and communications. 17. The Committee expressed support for the Asia Infrastructure Development Alliance (AIDA) and emphasized the importance of encouraging private sector participation in infrastructure development. The Committee recommended that further work should focus on assisting countries in establishing a legislative and regulatory framework that was conducive to private sector investment. In that respect, the Committee noted the assistance being provided by the secretariat to Bangladesh in cooperation with the ECE BOT Expert Group. The Committee requested the secretariat to extend similar assistance to other countries on request and based on availability of resources. There was a continuing need to ensure transparency in the privatization process and to promote development of human resources in the public and private sectors. 18. The Committee was pleased to note that four priority projects were being implemented by ESCAP with funding support from the Government of India. The Government of India had formally offered to host the Asia-Pacific Telecommunications Standards Institute in New Delhi and had made a commitment to contribute an amount of 50 million Indian rupees towards its establishment. 19. The Committee expressed appreciation to the secretariat for preparing the outline structure for country papers on the transport sector, as that would be useful in preparing country papers. It was emphasized that the scope of the country papers would be limited to the transport sector and that they would provide essential data to assist the secretariat in preparing the biennial review on transport, communications, tourism and other infrastructure development in Asia and the Pacific. 20. The Committee urged members and associate members to continue to prepare or update their infrastructure reports, where appropriate. It was noted that placing the country reports on the Internet provided a cost-effective means of disseminating information to a wider audience. The Committee noted with satisfaction that Bangladesh, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Mongolia had prepared country reports on infrastructure development. 21. The Committee noted with interest that the Second Eurasian Conference on Transport Development would be held at St Petersburg, Russian Federation, in September 2000. B. Implementation of the Asian land transport infrastructure development (ALTID) project for the development of land transport linkages in Asia to facilitate international trade and tourism (Item 5(a) of the agenda) 30. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/2 and Corr.1. The Committee reiterated its strong support for the implementation, on a priority basis, of the ALTID project as well as Commission resolutions 48/11 on road and rail transport modes in relation to facilitation measures and 52/9 on intra-Asia and Asia-Europe land bridges. 31. As the formulation of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks was nearing completion, the Committee expressed the hope that that major objective of the ALTID project would be fulfilled at the beginning of the new millennium. 32. The Committee noted several ALTID-related projects/activities being implemented at the subregional level including: (a) the ECO Decade of Transport and Communications (1998-2007); (b) the TRACECA programme reviving a Silk Road corridor linking Europe and China via the Caucasus; (c) the SPECA programme, with a project working group on transport and border crossing; (d) the ASEAN Highway network based on the Asian Highway network and also the ASEAN study on the Singapore-Kunming railway as a follow-up to the ESCAP study; (e) the formulation and development of highway and railway networks in the ECO subregion as a part of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks; (f) ADB studies and financing of development of land transport in the Greater Mekong subregion, South Asia and Central Asia; (g) operationalization of Delhi-Lahore and Calcutta-Dhaka passenger bus services; and (h) the ECO/ESCAP/UNCTAD project funded by the Islamic Development Bank on the introduction of international multimodal transport operations in the ECO region. In view of those developments, more emphasis should be placed on ALTID project implementation at the subregional level. 33. The Committee noted the information provided by China, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka and Thailand on significant national and bilateral developments in the road and rail sectors and the request of the Russian Federation for their identified routes to be included in the Asian Highway network. The Committee appreciated the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran in completing the missing links in the Trans-Asian Railway, namely Mashad-Bafq and Kerman-Zahidan, and for new initiatives to provide other shorter links to Central Asia. 34. The Committee requested that the main thrust for implementation within the ALTID project should be: (a) the completion of the formulation of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks covering the whole of Asia as well as missing links; and (b) the operationalization/improvement of the efficiency of international land transport corridors. In that context, the Committee requested that the following activities should be undertaken by the secretariat on a priority basis: (a) Identification and agreement by ESCAP and ECE, after consultation with member States, on the main Asia-Europe land bridges, with the possible introduction of intermodal and multimodal transport including: (i) Western Europe - Russian Federation to the Korean peninsula direct or through Kazakhstan and China, or through Mongolia and China; (ii) Europe - Turkey - Islamic Republic of Iran - South Asia - South-East Asia; (iii) Europe - Turkey - Islamic Republic of Iran - Central Asia - China; (iv) Europe through the Caucasus to Asia (TRACECA); (v) Northern Europe - Russian Federation - Central Asia - Persian Gulf; (b) Identification and approval of the main land bridges linking the ESCAP, ESCWA and ECA regions; (c) Establishment and dissemination of Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway databases; (d) Corridor studies along major land bridge routes to identify physical and non-physical barriers and suggest remedies; (e) Active promotion of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway with a brochure on the Asian Highway published in 1999 being a vivid example; (f) Formalization of the Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway networks through coordination by ESCAP and in close consultation with member governments to ensure unhindered access to the routes and to promote coordinated development; (g) Implementation of Commission resolution 48/11 and the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic 1965, as amended; (h) Establishment of special working groups for the operationalization of major land bridges. As the Coordination Council on Trans-Siberian Transportations and the special working group for the rail route China-Kazakhstan-Russian Federation-Belarus-Poland-Germany had already been established, particular attention should be given to setting up, in cooperation with UIC, a similar group for the operationalization of the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway; (i) Organization of demonstration runs of international trains along the major land bridges including Almaty-Istanbul and the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway. The importance of the early completion of the ESCAP/OSShD demonstration project in the northern corridor routes was stressed; (j) Coordination with and support for the ad hoc Asian railway chief executives' meeting to be held in cooperation with the Asian Institute of Transport Development in 2000 and the ad hoc meeting of heads of highway administrations using the valuable experience of Europe; (k) Introduction/improvement of information systems for international traffic. 35. As far as facilitation of land transport was concerned, a special working session had been organized to consider constraints on accession by countries to the conventions listed in resolution 48/11, the possible addition of further conventions and a unified approach to subregional agreements. 36. Accordingly, the Committee urged member countries to nominate focal points and establish facilitation committees comprising all ministries and agencies involved, if they had not already done so, and to share experiences in the accession to and implementation of the conventions. It also requested the secretariat to organize further national-level seminars on the conventions. The Committee also recognized the need to extend the scope of resolution 48/11 to add road transport conventions concerning the work of crews, temporary importation of private vehicles, the transport of dangerous goods and perishable foodstuffs, and to consider the addition of rail transport conventions. 37. The Committee noted the value of subregional agreements in facilitating international transport, especially in cases where there were no international conventions or where the issues addressed were only subregional in nature. For issues addressed in conventions it was recommended that the main text, annexes and protocols should draw upon the international conventions. In that respect, it was recommended that the organizations assisting in drafting those agreements such as ASEAN and ECO should cooperate closely in order to ensure consistency across the various agreements, particularly with respect to subregional or corridor transit agreements. 38. The Committee stressed the need to promote further cooperation between ESCAP and other concerned international organizations, particularly ECE, the European Union, UIC, OSShD, IRU, IRF and PIARC in the identification and development of the main Asia-Europe land bridges, and establish similar cooperation with ESCWA and ECA for the development of Asia-Middle East-Africa land bridges. The importance of cooperation between ESCAP and UIC for the operationalization of the southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway was particularly emphasized. Possible assistance in know-how transfer and co-financing seminars with PIARC was noted. 39. The Committee noted with appreciation the activities undertaken by ECE, ESCWA, ASEAN, ECO, ADB and UIC in strengthening transport network linkages and operation and in improving facilitation measures in their respective areas. It expressed satisfaction with the increased level of cooperation between ESCAP, ECE, ECO, ASEAN and ADB. The cooperation of ESCAP and ECE in the implementation of resolution 48/11 and the SPECA programme was particularly appreciated. 40. To enhance the capacity of ESCAP to provide assistance in the field of land transport, the Committee requested that a special post of regional adviser in the field of land transport should be established in the ESCAP secretariat to deal with SPECA, landlocked countries and economies in transition, as well as the implementation of Commission resolution 52/9. However, as the ESCAP budget for the biennium 2000-2001 had already been finalized, emphasis should currently be placed on the provision of advisory services upon request. 41. The Committee stressed the importance of the second ALTID project assessment, to be carried out in 2001 and endorsed the plan of action for phase IV (2000-2001) of the ALTID project as reflected in document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/2 and Corr.1. C. Interactive policy development for sustainable and safe transport (Item 5(b) of the agenda) 42. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/3. The Committee noted that there was a need for the development of sustainable transport systems which were economically efficient, environmentally sound, socially acceptable and institutionally manageable. The Committee acknowledged that an integrated and interactive approach to policy formulation represented a growing worldwide trend and expressed full support of the secretariat's efforts in promoting such approaches, taking into account the differences in each country's economic and social background. 43. The Committee noted that adopting an integrated approach was merely the first step in a long and continuing process. In order to succeed, governments and the public at large needed to be fully aware that there were costs and sacrifices involved. It was emphasized that strong commitment to an integrated approach from all levels of government was needed to ensure the success of the process. Sustainable transport would require a shift from personalized transport to more environmentally friendly modes, including non-motorized transport. Adequate attention should be paid to local contexts of different countries and cities in adopting policies and solutions based, inter alia, on full economic costing of the use of natural endowment. 44. In that respect, the Committee recommended that member countries should be provided with technical assistance and advisory services in understanding and introducing integrated approaches to sustainable transport development. The secretariat was also requested to play a key role in leading and coordinating the exchange of information and experience in the area of sustainable and safe road transport development. 45. The Committee noted the importance of promoting public awareness through publicity campaigns and education programmes, as well as the enforcement of rules and regulations for the improvement of road safety. It expressed support for the declaration of a United Nations Decade of Road Safety. 46. Several delegations briefed the Committee on their government's efforts in developing environmentally sound and safe road transport. The Committee appreciated the efforts of the secretariat in refining environmental impact assessment methodology and assisting countries in improving road safety measures. D. Major issues in the development of infrastructure in the power sector (Item 5(c) of the agenda) 47. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/4 highlighting the status, trends, policies and issues in the development of infrastructure in the power sector of the region. 48. An adequate, reliable and affordable electricity supply was key to the sustainable socio-economic development of countries of the ESCAP region. Electricity demand was growing in the region at a very high rate and the gap between demand and supply was widening. Considering that access to electricity in a number of countries was poor and that there was considerable suppressed demand, the need for increased electricity supply would continue in the future. 49. The Committee noted the current status and trends of power sector development in terms of electricity demand and supply as presented by several countries. The power sector was complex and capital-intensive, resulting in inadequate levels of infrastructure development in several countries. One bottleneck had been limited mobilization of private sector participation in power infrastructure development. 50. The Committee noted the efforts undertaken by various governments to meet future power requirements in their countries. In several countries, reform of the power sector was ongoing and included options for unbundling the power sector, encouragement of private sector participation and endeavours to decrease the share of fossil fuel for electricity production. Several countries were actively pursuing policies to increase the utilization of cleaner sources of energy such as natural gas and renewable sources of energy such as hydro, solar, wind and biogas to increase the overall capacity of power generation. 51. The Committee noted that financing remained a formidable issue in infrastructure development and that private sector participation was expected to play a greater role in fulfilling the shortfall in public sector investment. Like other infrastructure development projects, the formulation of effective policies and a legal framework to ensure transparency and efficiency were required to attract private sector participation at the national level. The Committee took note of various private sector financing options being used in several countries to encourage creativity and efficiency in the private sector. The experience gained by those countries could be effectively shared with other interested countries. The Committee requested the secretariat to assist countries and subregional groupings, namely ASEAN, SAARC and ECO, in power sector development by facilitating the sharing of experience between countries and in the use of methods and tools such as build-own-transfer and build-own-operate schemes. 52. The Committee was informed of initiatives in intercountry power exchange and trade being undertaken on a bilateral basis and through subregional cooperation through ASEAN, the Greater Mekong subregion, ECO and SAARC. To derive greater benefits from that kind of project, the Committee called for the enhancement of subregional cooperation in strengthening regulatory frameworks and the eventual integration of electricity networks at the subregional level. 53. The ASEAN secretariat presented various ASEAN subregional initiatives such as the ASEAN power grid and trans-ASEAN gas pipeline projects within the framework of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 1999-2004. The Committee noted with appreciation the readiness of the ASEAN secretariat to collaborate with ESCAP and share its experience with other subregions. E. Programme planning and implementation (Item 6 of the agenda) 1. Implementation of the programme of work, 1998-1999 54. The Committee had before it documents E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/5 and E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/6 and Corr.1. It expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved in implementing the programme of work for the biennium 1998-1999 under subprogramme 8: Transport and communications. It also expressed its appreciation to the secretariat for its report on the assessment of the implementation of the programme of work, 1998-1999. 55. In order to increase the visibility of the work of the secretariat among members and other interested parties, the Committee urged the secretariat to include qualitative and analytical information on the usefulness and impact of the activities of ESCAP in future documents reporting on the implementation of the programme of work. In view of the scarce resources available for evaluation of ESCAP activities, the Committee requested the secretariat to explore the possibility of sharing the results of monitoring and assessment of activities carried out internally by the secretariat from time to time. The Committee also requested the secretariat to consider the inclusion of built-in evaluation towards the end of group training activities on an ad hoc basis. The Committee also requested that information should be provided on advisory services, including the responses of member States on the impact of the services rendered, as well as on the use of resources for various groups of activities. The information should be presented graphically. The Committee reiterated the concern expressed by the Commission at the high rate of vacancies in the secretariat. The Committee also suggested the need for the secretariat to formulate a succession plan and to make vigorous efforts to reduce the number of days required to fill vacant posts. 2. Programme of work for the biennium 2000-2001 56. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/7 and information paper CTCTID(2)/INF.1. It endorsed the programme of work for the biennium 2000-2001, as contained in document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/7, with the following changes: (a) modification of item 6-4-207 to read "Seminar on shipping policy development (2001)" with a view to providing the secretariat with greater flexibility in responding to the needs of the region in that area; and (b) modification of item 6-4-209 to read "Regional seminar on port management and commercialization (2000)". 57. The Committee emphasized that tourism should continue to be accorded a high priority in the secretariat's programme of work, and urged the secretariat to adhere to the recommendations on tourism made by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development at its seventh session, held in April 1999. Reference was made to the proclamation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism. 58. It was proposed that the programme of work for the biennium 2000-2001 should emphasize the following areas: (a) strengthening the capabilities of the regulatory bodies as related to provision of transport infrastructure and services; (b) access to the Asian Highway database and other technical materials by outside users; and (c) new editions of the Asian Highway guide maps. The Committee also requested the secretariat to provide assistance in promoting the development of ports in North-East Asia. 59. In accordance with the recommendation of the Commission, the Committee requested that the review of publications under the subprogramme should be made continually so that ESCAP resources could be shifted to operational activities. 3.Draft medium-term plan for the period 2002-2005 60. The Committee endorsed the draft subprogramme narrative of the medium-term plan for the period 2002-2005 as proposed in document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/8, and expressed satisfaction at the areas covered by it, apart from recommending that special reference should be made to the promotion of sustainable transport development through an integrated and interactive approach. The Committee also requested the secretariat to pursue ideas of specific measurable indicators for each objective in the programme of work for the biennium 2002-2003. F. Preparations for the ministerial conference on infrastructure (Item 7 of the agenda) 61. The Committee had before it document E/ESCAP/CTCTID(2)/9. It reiterated its support for convening of the ministerial conference on infrastructure in 2001 and expressed appreciation to the secretariat for the preparations that it had made to date. 62. The Committee expressed its satisfaction in principle with the proposed topics to be discussed at the ministerial conference. Several countries intended to advise the secretariat of the priority issues to be addressed, after further discussions to be held at the national level. The Committee requested that the ministerial conference should pay special attention to the following areas of high priority: (a) development and promotion of multimodal transport and logistics; (b) inland water transport as an important mode of transport, in particular in the developing countries of the region; and (c) promotion of private sector participation in infrastructure development. It was agreed that, once the secretariat had worked out the agenda with inputs from member countries and agencies concerned, the agenda should be presented to ACPR for finalization. 63. The Committee highlighted the need for sufficient time for members and associate members to review the documents prior to the conference. 64. The Committee also noted the suggestion of the secretariats of ASEAN and ECO, as well as other agencies concerned, that they should be associated with the formulation of the regional action programme for phase II (2002-2006) and their substantial efforts in implementing activities which were of common interest or complementary to the New Delhi Action Plan. The experience gained in implementing the regional action programme for phase I and the achievements realized should be the basis for formulating the regional action programme for phase II. (Item 8 of the agenda) 65. The Committee commended the secretariat on the high quality of the documents and preparations made for the session. 66. The Committee took note of the summary of discussions of the RICAP Subcommittee on Infrastructure Development at its fourth meeting, held at Bangkok on 23 November 1999, and endorsed the views and decisions contained therein. The Committee appreciated the efforts of the agencies concerned to work together in the implementation of the New Delhi Action Plan. 67. Recognizing that HIV/AIDS was a multisectoral problem which warranted multisectoral solutions, the Committee endorsed the recommendations of the ESCAP/UNDP/UNAIDS Workshop on Reduction of HIV Vulnerability within the Land Transport Sector, held at Bangkok on 22 and 23 November 1999. Bearing in mind national policies on HIV/AIDS, those recommendations included ensuring high-level representation by the transport sector on national AIDS committees; convening in-house seminars to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS; engaging transport sector partners from the private sector and civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS; establishing an HIV task force in the transport sector or other sectors to facilitate the development of policies and strategies; and the inclusion of HIV/AIDS and the transport sector in the New Delhi Action Plan and in the agenda of the ministerial conference on infrastructure in 2001. It urged UNAIDS, ESCAP, UNDP and other United Nations organizations, lending agencies, bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations to provide support in implementing those recommendations. While supporting the efforts of the secretariat in that area, one delegation requested that the secretariat be mindful of the use of resources as there were other competing demands. The Committee noted with appreciation the offer of the Asian Institute of Transport Development, New Delhi, to host a subregional workshop/seminar in collaboration with ESCAP to increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS among key stakeholders in the transport industry. 68. The Committee expressed its deep gratitude to the governments of China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea, and to UNDP, the World Bank, ADB, the Islamic Development Bank, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, Siemens AG, Japan Transport Cooperation Association and Nippon Foundation, for their generous support for the implementation of the subprogramme on transport, communications, tourism and infrastructure development. It also expressed special gratitude to France, Germany, Japan and the Republic of Korea for providing experts on a non-reimbursable loan basis. It urged all donors to provide continued financial and technical support for the subprogramme. 65. The Committee on Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development adopted the report on its second session on 26 November 1999. III. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING A. Opening, duration and organization of the meeting 65. The second session of the Committee on Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development was held in Bangkok from 24 to 26 November 1999. It was opened by His Excellency Mr Pradit Phataraprasit, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Thailand. The Executive Secretary delivered an introductory statement. 66. The Deputy Minister, welcoming the delegations, stated that Thailand was placing emphasis on people-centred development and had persisted with efforts to accelerate the development of sustainable and safe transport, as well as tourism, in pursuit of social well-being, economic growth and expansion of intraregional and interregional trade and investment flows. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, the government had shown its commitment to policy reforms with emphasis on deregulation and liberalization. In the power sector, mobilizing financial resources for infrastructure development continued to be one of the major issues in securing energy supply for development. 67. Thailand maintained a strong commitment to the New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific and intended to cooperate closely with the secretariat in the formulation of the draft regional action programme for phase II (2002-2006). The ALTID project was assisting countries of the region in meeting the challenges of globalization. In closing, the Deputy Minister underscored the need to strengthen regional cooperation further in the new millennium. 68. The Executive Secretary of ESCAP extended greetings to all the delegations and expressed gratitude to the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Thailand for opening the session. He emphasized that the provision of reliable and efficient infrastructure facilities and services was an essential element for achieving national progress and integration within the global economy. At the threshold of the new millennium, there was an increasing need for governments to strengthen their policies and strategic planning for the development of sustainable and safe infrastructure while exploring opportunities to attract private investment. In that context, he urged all members and associate members to become active participants in the New Delhi Action Plan. 69. The Executive Secretary expressed appreciation to all donor governments, intergovernmental organizations and international agencies, as well as private sector companies, for the generous support provided for ESCAP programmes in transport and communications and tourism. He thanked the concerned United Nations organizations and specialized agencies, as well as intergovernmental organizations, for their active participation in the RICAP Subcommittee on Infrastructure Development and in the implementation of the New Delhi Action Plan. B. Attendance 65. The second session of the Committee was attended by representatives of the following members and associate members of ESCAP: Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam, as well as Hong Kong, China. 66. Representatives of the Czech Republic, Germany, Romania and South Africa attended as observers. 67. Representatives of the following United Nations bodies and programmes were also present: Economic Commission for Europe, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and United Nations Development Programme. The following specialized agencies were also represented: International Civil Aviation Organization and Universal Postal Union. 68. The following intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and other organizations attended as observers: Asian Development Bank, Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Economic Cooperation Organization, Regional Network of Local Authorities for the Management of Human Settlements, International Union of Railways, Asian Institute of Transport Development and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. C. Election of officers 69. The Meeting elected the following officers: Chairperson: Hon. Evelyn B. Pantig (Philippines) Vice-Chairpersons: Mr Tavepatana Tinamas (Thailand) HE Mr R.K. Rai (India) Mr Hiroshi Horikawa (Japan) Mr Mohammad Ismail Alikhani (Islamic Republic of Iran) Mr A.V. Annenkov (Russian Federation) Rapporteur: Ms Pamela Atkinson (Australia). 70. An informal working group on the implementation of Commission resolution 48/11 of 23 April 1992 on road and rail transport modes in relation to facilitation measures was also constituted to deliberate on the subject. D. Agenda 65. The Meeting adopted the following agenda: 1. Opening of the session. 2. Election of officers. 3. Adoption of the agenda. 4. New Delhi Action Plan on Infrastructure Development in Asia and the Pacific: review of implementation.
5. Major issues in land transport and infrastructure development: (a) Implementation of the Asian land transport infrastructure development (ALTID) project for the development of land transport linkages in Asia to facilitate international trade and tourism; (b) Interactive policy development for sustainable and safe transport; (c) Major issues in the development of infrastructure in the power sector. 1. Programme planning and implementation: (a) Implementation of the programme of work for the biennium 1998-1999; (b) Programme of work for the biennium 2000-2001; (c) Draft medium-term plan for the period 2002-2005. 1. Preparations for the ministerial conference on infrastructure. 2. Other matters. 3. Adoption of the report. Annex LIST OF DOCUMENTS
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