Oct 20, 2024
Monrovia-Liberia, Mrs. Joseta Neufville-Wento, Manager of the National Road Fund of Liberia (NRF), led a Liberian delegation to attend the International Road Federation World Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, from October 15th to 18th, 2024. Other members of the delegation included Mr. John H. Tokpah, Chief Administrative Officer of the NRF; Mr. Paul B. Karmon, Sr., Chief of Staff to the Minister of Public Works of Liberia; and Emmett P. Coker, Director of Media Relations, NRF.
“The International Road federation (IRF) was founded in 1948. It was established to promote the development and maintenance of road networks globally, facilitating better road safety, mobility, and economic growth.” The IRF once in four years celebrates the road and mobility sectors as enablers of growth and development.
This year’s theme was “Connecting to Empower Mobility: Roads as Enablers of a Sustainable Future for All.” The congress served as a platform for global leaders, industry experts, academia, and diverse public and private stakeholders to engage in insightful discussions and collaborative efforts, addressing pivotal issues and exploring innovations within the road and mobility sectors.
The International Road Federation (IRF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey, organized the IRF World Congress 2024
H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of the Republic of Turkey, delivered the inaugural address. During his speech, President Erdogan, using a video message, emphasized the crucial role of infrastructure in shaping a nation’s development. He also highlighted its alignment with this year’s Congress theme, Empower Mobility: Roads as Enablers of a Sustainable Future for All. “Road is civilization,” said President Erdogan. “Roads mean transportation, industry, production, tourism, trade, safety, development, and integration with the world. With this understanding, we have elevated Turkey to a new level in transportation and infrastructure.”
The Congress attracted over 2,000 participants from more than 80 countries, including over 30 ministers, high-level international organizations, and key public and private stakeholders. Discussions and presentations focused on reimagining transport systems to build a greener, safer, and more inclusive future.
In his opening address, IRF President Dimitris Mandalozis stressed the urgency of sustainability and coming together as a collective voice. “For over seven decades, the IRF has united the public and private sectors, fostering partnerships that deliver meaningful impact. This is the core of who we are and what we do as a Federation,” he said. “Today, amidst global challenges, our collective voice as a transport community and not just as a federation is more important than ever.” “Sustainability is not a choice; it is an imperative,” he continued. “Let us seize this moment to raise a strong, united voice that says NO to road deaths and injuries and YES to decarbonized, resilient, and sustainable transport that leaves no one behind,” Mr. Mandalozis concluded.
Welcoming the international and local guests, H.E. Mr. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey, said, “Turkey has witnessed an impressive infrastructure development in recent twenty years. It has managed to increase investment, resulting in some of the highest values of PPP infrastructure deals and private infrastructure investment globally.” He emphasized in his speech the significance of sustainable infrastructure in national transport strategies.
The opening plenary continued with a high-level panel discussion featuring remarks from prominent international organizations, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the International Transport Forum (ITF), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Turkish technology leader TOGG.
During the Congress, Mrs. Wento engaged in various sideline meetings with international partners, one of which was a crucial meeting with Susanna Zammatora, the Director General of the IRF. Mrs. Wento asked the IRF to designate Liberia as the training hub for West Africa membership, following Tanzania’s example. Madam Zammataro assured Mrs. Wento that the IRF board had received their message and expressed optimism that the board would approve Liberia’s request to become a member of the IRF.
In addition to this key meeting, Mrs. Wento led efforts to organize a meeting on the sidelines of the congress with Elizabeth Jones from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Organisation of the UK government, Mr. Moussa Essaïe Moussa, President of AFRICAN ROAD MAINTENANCE FUNDS ASSOCIATION (ARMFA), Mr. Nicholas Peltier, Global Director of Transport, World Bank, Mr. Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the Road Funds Managers of Cameroon, Gabon, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Mozambique, etc. This meeting focused on securing funding for road safety initiatives and creating an enabling environment for low-income countries. Mr. Mariyasin promised to work with the fund manager to ensure that ARMFA as a body can gain access to funding, as they are more prone to funding organizations than individual countries.
Throughout the congress, Mrs. Wento engaged with various experts in the road sector to explore ways to improve Liberia’s road network, particularly focusing on quality and extending the lifespan of paved roads. Engineer Martin Fliegl, Head of Research and Development at Fliegl Bau- & Kommunnatechnik GmbH in Germany, held a notable discussion with Manager Wento. Mr. Fliegl expressed a keen interest in addressing the issue of the short lifespan of roads in Liberia. He assured Mrs. Wento that he would visit Liberia to share his expertise and knowledge on material and temperature desegregation.
Elizabeth Jones from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Organisation of the UK government and Manager Wento