UIC Regional Board Chairs Meeting Held By Teleconference

A teleconference meeting was held at the Ankara Headquarters with the management of the UIC (International Railway Union), of which TCDD General Manager Ali İhsan Uygun is the Vice President.

The meeting was attended by UIC President and CEO of Italian Railways Gianluigi Castelli, UIC General Manager François Davenne, UIC Africa Regional Board Chairman and Moroccan Railways General Manager Mohamed Rabie Khlie, UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Board Chairman Lu Dongfu, China Railways Vice President GUO Zhuxue, Francisco Cardoso Dos Reis, UIC Europe Regional Board President and Portuguese Railways Board Member, UIC North America Regional Board Chairman and ViaRail (Canada) Railways President Cynthia Garneau, UIC department managers and TCDD officials.

At the meeting held, the topics of UIC 2020-2021 management, the current situation of COVID-19, the UIC financial situation of 2020 and the development of interregional cooperation were discussed.

Since the management change planned to be made at the end of the year in the UIC administration did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and next year is the 100th anniversary of UIC, views were exchanged on the extension of the Presidency and Vice Presidency terms for a period of 6 months. It was decided to present a proposal at the General Assembly meeting to be held in December 2021 for the extension of the term of office until June 2020.

Detailed information was exchanged with the representatives of the member organizations about the activities carried out by the COVID-19 Task Force formed within the UIC, the publications, survey studies and sharing of best practices.

One of the most important issues of the meeting was the development of interregional cooperation. Taking the opinions of the Heads of the Regional Boards to determine the needs for stronger regional activities and concrete projects in this regard, to better share the needs for assessment and adaptation and to revive various programs in this direction and to ensure permanent presence in the most active regions in order to express regional visions. It was stated that the details will be shared with the members at the General Assembly meeting to be held on.