(Washington, D.C., March 12, 2025) At this year’s Transforming Transportation conference, hosted by the World Bank and World Resources Institute (WRI), transport experts from around the world gathered to discuss “Driving Change, Delivering Solutions”. UIC has traditionally participated in this conference to raise the visibility of the rail sector and its role as a catalyst for economic prosperity and sustainability. UIC Director General François Davenne participated as a speaker in the session on Resilient Logistics and Supply Chains, emphasising the enduring strength of rail in times of crisis.
During the discussion, Davenne highlighted how rail freight has proved its mettle during the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical disruptions. “Railways have demonstrated their resilience, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and in times of conflict, such as in Ukraine,” he stated.
The session addressed key challenges in freight decarbonisation, stressing the need for harmonised regulatory frameworks to ensure supply chain stability. Experts, including representatives from the European Investment Bank, DP World, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, underscored the importance of strategic planning, investment certainty, and regulatory clarity in achieving sustainable freight solutions.
UIC engaged in discussions on the UN Decade of Action on Sustainable Transport, a process being led by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and helped shape the implementation plan for the Decade, which kicks off at the World Sustainable Transport Day on 26 November 2025. The Decade was also a topic of discussion at the 17th Meeting of the Sustainable Mobility for All (Sum4All) Consortium, of which UIC is a member. Moreover, UIC currently co-chairs the Advocacy Working Group alongside the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), helping to drive key messages from the Consortium’s Data Tracking Initiative working group and beyond.
UIC remains committed to advocating for rail as the backbone of resilient and sustainable transport. Working with partner organisations like the World Bank and WRI - the hosts of the conference, the Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport (SLOCAT) and the International Association of Public Transport UITP - as knowledge and advocacy partners, as well as multilateral development banks like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), UIC continues to engage with representatives of all the parties driving change to align strategies for decarbonised and efficient transport through rail development.
