The International Transport Forum (ITF), which was established in 2006 with 43 member countries under the umbrella of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is the only international organization that incorporates all modes of transport on a global scale.

The ITF held an informative meeting last Wednesday on the pressing issues on its agenda and to outline the important work carried out in the field of international transport. The meeting was significant as it highlighted the five important trends in the field of international transportation: mobility, decarbonization, connectivity, universal accessibility and high-level safety and security.

Universal accessibility and connectivity

Universal accessibility means that citizens of the world can access transportation services of an accepted standard, whether they're residing in cities or rural areas and regardless of their religion, language, race or gender. From another point of view, it can even be called the democratization of transport services. In this sense, Turkey has been able to establish a positive level of fair transportation infrastructure and is in a leading position among certain countries in the world.

We live in a world where inequalities prevail even in the 21st century. These inequalities are more evident in certain continents or countries than others and are very difficult for a Turkish citizen to notice or understand. As human beings, we should not confuse the concepts of inclusion in transportation services with connectivity in this sense.

Connectivity means making every city, every residential area of a country accessible on a global, regional and local scale via all reasonable modes of transport – thus via road, seaway (river, sea, and ocean), airway and railway where appropriate. It defines a transportation infrastructure that allows the country to have an important competitive ability, in terms of both trade and economic-political means. In this field, countries such as Turkey, which have created a strong network between transportation modes, also bring "mobility" to the economy so that cities and the country can produce and export with high added value.

Mobility and safety

Mobility also means the availability of cheap and fast transportation from one point to another in the city with all kinds of intelligent means such as scooters, electric bicycles and electric cars. Therefore, as a part of the sharing economy in the leading cities of the world, new projects and plans are carried out without interruption for the widespread use of such intelligent transportation vehicles. This process also enhances connectivity along with mobility.

High-level safety and security in transportation, primarily with regards to COVID-19, means setting high standards of sustainability in the field of transportation against all kinds of global crises and risks. If we try to write about this subject, we will run out of pages. Therefore, I must emphasize that the issue of decarbonization as a fifth trend is also very important. In the transportation sector, which is responsible for 20% of global carbon emissions alone, new engines, new vehicles and new fuel technologies will continue to be the most important agenda item in the fierce competition between countries. With regards to this, the 12th National Transportation and Communications Council will make a lot of noise with its main theme and content.