The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in the Egyptian city of Alexandria will host the 73rd session of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Transport Ministers, and the 37th session of the Council, next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The academy said, in a statement, that the Executive Office of the Council will discuss a set of topics in preparation for submitting them to the 37th session of the Council, within the framework of enhancing Arab co-operation in the fields of transport and logistics, supporting efforts aimed at developing the transport infrastructure in the Arab region, and enhancing economic integration among Arab member states, in a way that serves the achievement of sustainable development goals.
The meeting agenda will include, in this regard, a study on establishing an Arab mechanism and database to support the ship repair and construction industry, another study on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing the transport and logistics sector in Arab countries, in addition to a draft agreement to regulate maritime transport procedures for passengers and goods between Arab countries, and a working paper prepared by the Academy on standardising driving and rest periods for truck and bus drivers, which enhances safety and security in the land transport sector.
It will also address several proposals submitted by Saudi Arabia, including examining the possibility of establishing a special Arab agency for maritime safety, and establishing a regional centre to manage ship traffic in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea, in addition to discussing the amended draft of the agreement on the exchange of exemptions from taxes and customs duties on Arab air transport activities and equipment, with the aim of enhancing co-operation in the civil aviation sector between Arab countries, in addition to discussing support for Saudi Arabia’s proposal to re-nominate some Arab countries for membership in the Executive Council of the International Maritime Organisation, and reviewing the results and recommendations of the technical committee concerned with following up on the status of Arab agreements in the transport sector in all its forms, in implementation of the decisions of the Arab Summit.
In a related context, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport will hold an Arab-European workshop next Thursday, in co-operation with the European Union and the Transport and Tourism Department of the League of Arab States, on Preparing an integrated study for the project to establish a supply chain for green hydrogen, within the framework of enhancing Arab-European co-operation in the field of clean energy.
The workshop will aim to review the successful experiences of Arab countries in the field of green hydrogen, as it will highlight pioneering experiences in this regard for the State of Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, the UAE, Morocco, and Iraq. The workshop is being held in implementation of the decision of the 22nd Joint Meeting of the Technical Committees for Transport (Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Transport Ministers), which was held last September, within the framework of the commitment of the League of Arab States and the Arab Academy for Maritime Transport to provide innovative solutions to address energy and climate challenges, and to enhance co-operation with the European Union, in a way that contributes to achieving optimal utilisation of clean energy sources and creating a sustainable economic environment in the Arab region.
