Source: www.rta.ae
Commenting on the event, H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: “The UITP MENA Congress is one of the biggest gatherings in the public transport sector as it brings together CEOs of public transport entities, industry leaders, policy makers, legislators, developers, consultants, operators and manufacturers under one roof to discuss future solutions of issues pertaining to public transport means.
The Congress will see the participation of about 1000 delegates representing 25 countries and is expected to attract around 3000 visitors over three days, in addition to 66 exhibitors from 16 countries taking part in the accompanying exhibition.”
Al Tayer reiterated RTA’s keenness to bring success to this global event in a bid to widen and revamp the mass transit sector and contribute effectively to enhancing the prestigious standing of Dubai emirate in organizing exhibitions and conferences in various sectors, be it in commercial, economic, service, financial, or tourist sectors among others, and cementing its impressive record of Dubai in this respect. Furthermore, the congress and exhibition constitute a good opportunity to share successful experiences of developed countries and the latest technologies adopted in this field.
The Congress will discuss a host of issues of relevance to the growth path of public transport sector through holding 5 plenary sessions, 14 breakout sessions, and 4 discussion panels featuring the participation of 80 speakers from 25 countries. During plenary sessions, work papers will be presented to spotlight 5 topics including a paper about Corporate Governance & Organizational Structures to be delivered by Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes. The second paper, which will be delivered by Ömer Yildiz, General Manager of Istanbul Transport, will discuss logistics systems. Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO of Dubai Islamic Economy Development Center will deliver a paper on finance from an Islamic perspective. Mr. Michael Lichtenegger, Director of Marketing Committee, UITP, will deliver a paper about innovative marketing, whereas His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Ohali, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will deliver a paper about master plans for public transportation projects in the Middle East.
Crowning Successful Partnership
It is worth mentioning that the RTA had signed an agreement with the UITP providing for establishing MENA Center for Transport Excellence in RTA premises in Dubai, and holding MENA Congress & Exhibition in Dubai biennially for a period of 10 years in Dubai emirate to serve as a permanent platform through which countries of the region can review the world’s latest developments and innovations in public transport and everything related to this sector at the global level.
The signing of the agreement culminates the successful partnership between the RTA and the UITP over the past years, and bears reference to the huge success of the Dubai Emirate and the RTA in hosting the 59th UITP Congress & Exhibition during 10-14 April 2011.
Thanks to this agreement, the UAE in general and the Dubai Emirate in particular, has become a public transport center for the MENA.
1.3m riders use public transport everyday
The mass transit sector in Dubai has witnessed a quantum shift since the RTA was established in 2005 represented in uplifting public transit means in Dubai Emirate spanning the Dubai Metro, public buses, marine transit modes and taxis. As a result of revamping this sector, the public transport ridership leapfrogged from about 160 million riders in 2006, to as much as 440.672 million riders in 2013, with an average daily ridership hovering around 1.3 million riders, according to statistics of last year.
The public transport systems in Dubai constitute today a key element in the mobility of people across the Emirate, and the RTA is making massive efforts to make these systems the first and preferred transit mode of people, including citizens, residents and visitors, in their daily movement, be it for work or leisure. More info
