The 7th edition of the IRU Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference, organised under the King Abdalla II of Jordan, in cooperation with the Royal Automobile Club of Jordan (RACJ), on the theme "Road Transport: Driving Regional and Intercontinental Trade", will be held on 12-13 June 2013 in Amman, Jordan.

This interactive networking conference aims to find concrete answers to key challenges to international road transport operations on the Eurasian landmass, from the Far-East to Western Europe, with a particular focus on the Middle East region. Fast growing economies of the Middle East have a crucial role to play as logistics hubs strategically located at crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe. Smooth trade flows are instrumental in driving economic growth and integration at regional and global level, according to organizers.

An international panel, combining the expertise of high level representatives from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), will explore how to facilitate and further develop Euro-Asian Road Transport.

A Ministerial meeting will take place in parallel to the IRU Conference, where Transport Ministers will seek and coordinate the appropriate measures to revive the ancient Silk Road routes in the region, which were used as main transport and trade arteries over 700 years ago. The Ministers will attend the opening and closing sessions of the Conference.

For the second time in IRU Euro-Asian Conference history, a meeting of high level representatives from international organizations and financial institutions will coordinate respective actions to further develop road transport infrastructure and facilitate international trade flows by road in the Middle East to boost economic growth and support prosperity and social stability across the region.  

IRU president Janusz Lacny noted: "The once forgotten ancient Silk Road routes are of crucial importance for the flow of trade and road transport in our modern times. The revival of these arteries will allow road transport to efficiently connect every business to all major world markets and will contribute to the further economic development, prosperity and ultimately peace in the Middle East region."