TRACECA

Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia
Formation1993
TypeEconomic co-operation organization
Location
Membership
12 plus 27 European Union members
Website
www.traceca-org.org/en/home/

TRACECA (acronym: Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) is an international transport programme involving the European Union and 12 member states of the Eastern European, Caucasus, and Central Asian region.[1] The programme aim is to strengthen economic relations, trade, and transport in the regions of the Black Sea basin, South Caucasus, and Central Asia. It has a permanent Secretariat, originally financed by the European Commission, in Baku, Azerbaijan, and a regional office in Odesa, Ukraine. Since 2009, the organization has been entirely financed by member countries.

Origins

TRACECA was established in May 1993 in Brussels, upon the signing of a Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the development of transport initiatives (including the establishment and development of a road corridor) between the EU member states, Eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian countries. The programme supports the political and economic independence of former Soviet Union republics through enhancing their access to European and global markets through road, rail and sea.[2] The objectives of TRACECA were underlined by the Baku Initiative of 2004,[3] followed by a further ministerial conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2006.

Membership

  European Union
  TRACECA participating states
  TRACECA agreement signed, but not yet participating

The following states currently participate in the TRACECA program:[1]

Plus the 27 member states of the

Iran officially joined TRACECA in 2009 after their request was accepted during a meeting held in Brussels.[4] However, technical assistance related to the project has not been provided to Iran since 2010 due to EU sanctions.

In 1996, Mongolia was granted observer status.[5]

In 2009, Lithuania was granted observer status.[5]

In July 2016, Greece announced they are considering joining TRACECA activities as an observer.[6] In March 2018, Greece was granted observer status during a meeting held in Yerevan.[5]

Secretary-General

The Permanent Secretariat of TRACECA was established in March 2000 in Baku, and inaugurated on February 21, 2001, with the participation of the then President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, together with Javier Solana, Christopher Patten, Anna Lind. The Secretary-General is a chief executive officer of the Permanent Secretariat. The first Secretary-General elected by the Intergovernmental Commission was a representative of Georgia, ambassador Zviad Kvachantiradze.

The current Secretary-General is Mircea Ciopraga, appointed by the Intergovernmental Commission in January 2015.

No. Secretary-General Dates in office Country of origin Ref
1 Zviad Kvachantiradze 2000–2002  Georgia [7]
2 Abdurashid Tagirov 2002–2003  Uzbekistan
3 Lyudmila Trenkova 2003–2006  Bulgaria
4 Rustan Jenalinov 2006–2009  Kazakhstan
5 Zhantoro Satybaldiyev 2009–2011  Kyrgyzstan
6 Eduard Biriucov 2011–2014  Moldova
7 Mircea Ciopraga 2015–present  Romania [8]

Projects

TRACECA has five working groups: maritime transport, aviation, road and rail, transport security, and transport infrastructure. Amongst its specific projects, was the creation of a new bridge to replace and protect the heritage Red Bridge, located between Georgia and Azerbaijan.[9]

In July 2023, it was announced for TRACECA to join the eTIR international system.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "TRACECA Member Countries", Traceca.org, accessed 30 January 2017
  2. ^ Dekanozishvili, Mariam "The EU in the South Caucasus:By What Means, to What End?", Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, January 2004, accessed 30 January 2017
  3. ^ Henderson, Karen; Weaver, Carol (2010). The Black Sea region and EU policy: the challenge of divergent agendas. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 143–145. ISBN 978-1-4094-1201-4.
  4. ^ "Iran joins TRACECA", UPI.com, 28 September 2009, accessed 30 January 2017
  5. ^ a b c "History of TRACECA". www.traceca-org.org.
  6. ^ Hasanli, Azad. "Greece keen to join TRACECA", Trend news agency, 11 July 2016, accessed 30 January 2017
  7. ^ "Former TRACECA Secretaries General" Archived 7 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Traceca.org, accessed 30 January 2017
  8. ^ "Mircea Ciopraga elected as TRACECA Secretary General for two-term period" Archived 2 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine, abc.az, 2 February 2015, accessed 30 January 2017
  9. ^ European and Caucasian transport specialists discuss the prospects of cooperation, Armenpress, 19 November 2012, accessed 30 January 2017
  10. ^ "Digitalization of transit along the middle corridor from Central Asia to Europe to accelerate thanks to eTIR | UNECE". unece.org. Retrieved 15 March 2024.