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PIARC (World Road Association), founded in 1909 and comprising 125 member governments from all over the world, is the global forum for exchange of knowledge and experience on roads, road transport policies and practices. With consultative status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the Association is contributing to a stable and sustainable global development of the road and transport sector.

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PIARC consolidates its strategy for the period 2017-2020

Claude Van Rooten, President of the World Road Association for the 2017-2020 period, launched a strategic process during the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Association in Abu Dhabi (28 February - 1 March 2017) so as to identify the guidelines that will guide the work of PIARC over the next four years.

29 March 2017

Claude Van Rooten, elected in September 2016 by the Council of the World Road Association (PIARC), took office as President of the Association on 1st January, for a four-year term (2017-2020). He takes over after Óscar de Buen.

On the occasion of the first meeting of the Executive Committee in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Claude Van Rooten initiated a strategic debate on the Association's priorities.

Amongst the conclusions that were reached, it should be noted that the Executive Committee wishes to work in such a way that the Association:

  • Increase awareness of its many activities, to a wide audience and to its own Members;
  • Be flexible and responsive in order to demonstrate its social usefulness;
  • Be able to anticipate the expectations of its Members and of society to better meet their needs;
  • Continue to produce recognized and high quality deliverables in an efficient way;
  • Take into account the great diversity of its Members, which is one of the strengths of PIARC.

"I give high priority to PIARC building upon existing strengths and its history and being able to demonstrate its usefulness to its Members and society every day", said Claude Van Rooten at the conclusion of this meeting.

He confirmed that the functioning of the Association and its bodies will be able to adapt in line our time: "PIARC is a centenarian which is permanently reinvigorated; It must, even more than in the past, ensure that its activities and the quality of its productions are known."

In this context, the Executive Committee has entrusted a mission to Maria del Carmen Picón (Spain), who will analyse the working methods that should guide the preparation of the future Strategic Plan of the Association with the help of a small working group. The main conclusions will be presented to the Executive Committee and the Council of the Association, whose next meetings are scheduled for October 2017 in Bonn, Germany.

In addition, another working group has been established to further strengthen the involvement of low- and middle-income countries, which are an integral part of the work and objectives of the Association. Cheikh Oumar Diallo, Vice-President, agreed to lead the coordination of the group.

PIARC, a strong collaborative network at all levels

In order to feed in these analyses, the Association will rely on its constant dialogue with its Members, in particular with governments and First Delegates, and on the close collaboration that it has established with transport associations at regional and international levels.

As part of this partnership and exchange policy, the President of the Association will participate in well-recognized events such as the 2017 International Transport Forum Summit (30 May to 2 June 2017 in Leipzig, Germany).

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