Damascus is set to host the 26th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia’s (ESCWA) Committee on Transport and Logistics on Nov. 25–26, marking the first time Syria has hosted the meeting in more than 15 years.
Transport Minister Yarub Badr told SANA that the session will review regional developments in the sector and assess progress since the committee’s last meeting in Amman in 2024. The two-day agenda includes discussions on digital and sustainable trade, the role of digitalization in transport, the impact of climate change on regional systems, and a session on improving traffic accident data collection.
The meeting coincides with the International Day of Sustainable Transport on Nov. 26. ESCWA will hold a panel on the implementation plan for the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), focusing on the steps Arab states need to take to meet their commitments.
Badr said convening the session in Damascus signals Syria’s efforts to re-engage with its Arab neighbors and contribute to developing regional transport systems. He said issues such as digitalization, sustainability and climate impacts are shared regional priorities, and that Syria is committed to working with Arab partners and ESCWA on implementing the session’s recommendations.
The committee’s previous session was held in Amman on Nov. 26–27, 2024, and focused on cybersecurity and the links between transport and food security.
