Amman: Minister of Transport, Wissam Tahtamouni, on Sunday held a wide-ranging meeting with Arab League Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Bahjat Abu Nasr, Arab Union of Land Transport (AULT) President Malek Haddad, and Rami Karout, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division at the International Road Transport Union. The meeting focused on ways to enhance pan-Arab cooperation in land transport and facilitate cross-border movement through ongoing coordination between the Arab and international road transport unions and the Arab League, according to a ministry statement.
According to Jordan News Agency, Tahtamouni expressed appreciation for the AULT’s efforts, commending the “positive outcomes and the notable” technological advancements that have “effectively” supported trade and transport among Arab states. Tahtamouni added that talks went over “crucial” issues, mainly transport of hazardous materials, insurance, the Arab Transit Book, integration of electronic systems between the AULT and Arab states, connection of the customs carnet system, and integration of tachograph systems to facilitate access to Trkiye and European countries.
The minister was also briefed on outcomes of recent meetings at the AULT’s headquarters, primarily adoption of the union’s new e-platform as the official system for activating the Arab Transit Book digitally and enhancement of training programs for obtaining the International Road Transport Union’s professional competence certification. Haddad noted a recent meeting at the Arab Union’s headquarters addressed several key issues aimed at strengthening joint Arab transport and boosting trade, especially following Syria’s return to the Arab League.
He added that reopening of transport routes to Trkiye is expected to benefit Jordan and other Arab countries economically and reduce time and operational costs. Abu Nasr thanked the Ministry of Transport for its continuous cooperation and support, highlighting the discussions tackled critical issues requiring deeper coordination.
He said digital integration of platforms would significantly reduce financial costs for member states and improve transport and trade flow, stressing the need for standardized weight limits among Arab countries. Karout underlined the importance of maintaining and expanding cooperation between relevant stakeholders in Arab countries to unify procedures and improve efficiency of land transport. He affirmed that the International Road Transport Union is ready to provide the necessary technical and operational support to help implement modern solutions in the sector.
As part of efforts to expand cooperation with national institutions, the delegation visited the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) of Jordan and held a meeting with its Director General Khaldoun Elawi. The meeting explored the possibility of accrediting the club as a regional training center for preparing Arab land transport personnel to become an Arab academy for transport and road safety training.