LEIPZIG, Germany, May 7. Ghana, Panama, and Peru have officially joined the International Transport Forum (ITF), marking a milestone in the forum’s global expansion, Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, announced at the ITF Summit in Leipzig, Trend's special correspondent reports.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Council of Ministers of Transport session, Nabiyev emphasized the ITF’s commitment to digital, coordinated, and people-centered transport systems.
“This session of the Council of Ministers of Transport has just concluded. It delivered concrete outcomes that will show how transport systems evolve in the coming years towards systems that are more efficient, resilient, and people-oriented. These outcomes reflect a year of deliberate work on the Azerbaijan presidency, guided by a clear principle, which is to align fullest discussions with the implementation realities,” Nabiyev said.
According to Nabiyev, the new members bring valuable regional perspectives to the forum. Ghana is expanding its role as a transport hub for West Africa, investing in rail, port, and aviation infrastructure to serve landlocked neighbors. Panama, home to the strategic Panama Canal, plays a key role in international maritime trade, while Peru, with the recent opening of the Trans-Saharan Deep Water Port on its Pacific coast, is developing a logistics corridor linking South Africa and Asia.
“The accession of Ghana, Panama, and Peru underscores the growing global relevance of the ITF. Today’s outcomes send a clear message that the future of transport belongs to systems that are digital, coordinated, easily accessible, and most importantly, centered on people,” he said.
