ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 25. Effective
investment in the transport sector requires more than the
construction of roads and other physical infrastructure, according
to International Road Transport Union representative Vadim
Zakharchenko, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
Speaking at the session "Seamless Eurasia: A Logistics Hub at
the Crossroads of Continents", Zakharchenko, head of the IRU
Permanent Delegation to Eurasia, said infrastructure projects
should be evaluated not only by their scale but also by how
effectively they are integrated into broader transport
networks.
“We need to consider how well infrastructure is connected to
wider transport systems and how efficiently businesses and
residents are able to use it,” he said.
According to Zakharchenko, modern highways alone cannot deliver
the desired economic benefits if freight traffic faces significant
delays at border crossings.
“We may have excellent roads, but if they only allow trucks to
quickly reach congested border crossings where they spend days or
even weeks waiting, the expected results will not be achieved,” he
said.
Zakharchenko noted that efficiency and sustainability remain the
key indicators of success in commercial road transport,
underscoring the need for an integrated approach to investment
decisions.
He said transport projects should combine investment in physical
infrastructure with measures aimed at improving transport
connectivity and operational efficiency.
The IRU official also stressed the importance of incorporating
international standards into transport investment projects from the
earliest planning stages to ensure the long-term efficiency and
sustainability of transport systems.
