UfM and UITP join forces to advance sustainable urban mobility

Brussels, 9 November 2017. The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration to advance sustainable urban mobility.

On the margins of the First UfM Regional Platform on Sustainable Urban Development, UfM Deputy Secretary General Amb. Ihab Fahmy and UITP Secretary General Elect Mohamed Mezghani signed, in Brussels on 9 November 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both organisations to undertake joint actions for a sustainable urban mobility.

Cooperation activities between the parties are aimed at addressing the pressing challenges facing urban areas in the Mediterranean region and at contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region, in particular SDG number 9 “industry, innovation and infrastructure”, SDG number 11 “sustainable cities and communities” and SDG number 13 for climate action.

UfM Deputy Secretary General Amb. Fahmy emphasized that “transport systems in urban areas should provide inclusive access to services and sustainable mobility solutions for their rapidly expanding populations. He also underlined that there is a need to secure access and mobility through well-developed transport infrastructure, as well as to improve the efficiency, reliability, safety, resilience and environmental performance of all transport modes, thus paving the way towards a more sustainable transport sector, facilitating trade and ensuring a smooth flow of goods across the Euro-Mediterranean region.”