ARAB MASHREQ INTERNATIONAL ROADS TRUCK CARAVAN ABU DHABI – ISTANBUL 200 9

1. ARAB MASHREQ INTERNATIONAL ROADS TRUCK CARAVAN ABU DHABI – ISTANBUL 2009 A concrete project for joint implementation of the Arab Mashreq Road Safety Partnership in 2009 Haydar Özkan IRU general Delegate to the Middle-East and Region

2. Presentation Plan • Past Experiences • Planned Truck Caravans 2009 • Caravan: A Tool for Promoting Road Safety in the Arab Mashreq Region in 2009 • Possible Project Objectives • Composition • Main Route • Possible Ceremonies en route • Project Time Plan • Next Steps

3. Past Experiences • Vladivostok-Lisboa Truck Caravan 2004 • Beijing-Brussels Caravan 2005 • Black Sea Ring Highway Caravan 2007

4. Promoting Road Safety in the Arab Mashreq Region in 2009 • The Arab Mashreq International Roads Truck Caravanwill serve asa practical tool for promoting road safety in the Arab Mashreq region with the active participation and actual contributions of all interested AMRSP partners and IRU Members in the Arab Mashreq Region

5. Possible Project Objectives Promotecreation of the AMRSP to people, media, public and private sectors in the region by national ceremonies, press conferences and special seminars en route; Develop/reinforce the newly established AMRSP’s network with decision makers and competent authorities in the region; Support national activities of the AMRSP partners and encourage them to roll on their best practices across the Arab Mashreq region by means of the Caravan (e.g. Royal Health Awareness Society Kids Campaign, Jordan or Steer Club Qatar, etc.); Target primary school children and their parents with tailor made activities en route: visit schools, show road safety cartoons and give training in specially designed trailers; Promote GRSP Road Safety Manual to professional drivers and fleet managers; Collectroad transport and road safety data such as black spots and road conditions along the Arab Mashreq International Roads and border crossing procedures en route, etc.

6. Composition The Arab Mashreq International Truck Caravan could consist of 13 trucks from 13 UN ESCWA Member States & 1 truck from Turkey (trucks will join on a voluntary basis and in cooperation with IRU Member Assocations) Bahrain Egypt Jordan Kuwait Iraq & Lebanon Palestine Qatar KSA Turkey Yemen Oman Syria UAE

7. Main Route (3000 km) • Abu Dhabi • Riyadh • Amman • Damascus • Istanbul ▬ Main route ▬ Participating trucks en route

8. Possible Ceremonies en route • Farewell Ceremony : Abu Dhabi • Welcome Ceremony : Riyadh • Welcome Ceremony : Amman • Welcome Ceremony : Damascus • Arrival Ceremony : Istanbul

9. Eventually, the CARAVAN CONCLUSIONSwould be compiled in a special video and a book, which could be presented to the Ministerial Road Safety Conference in Moscow in November 2009... Project Time Plan ARAB MASHREQ INTERNATIONAL ROADS TRUCK CARAVAN can be organised in October 2009 (after the Ramadan Feast), connectingAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emiratesto Istanbul, Turkey.

10. ▬ Main route ▬ Participating trucks en route Next Steps • Establish the AMRSP; • Approve the Arab Mashreq International Roads Truck Caravan as an AMRSP Project to be implemented in partnership with the IRU in 2009; • Invite the AMRSP partners to support the project with their activities and financial contributions; • Promote the project to your authorities; • Request UNESCWA, GRSP and IRU to start working together for promoting the project and undertaking necessary preparatory work as soon as possible.