Transport - BSEC - Black Sea Economic Cooperation

^{Annex III to BS/TM/R(2017)1}

^{KYIV JOINT DECLARATION}

^{ON DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BSEC REGION}

^{AND EFFECTIVE REALIZATION OF JOINT PROJECTS}

^{17 November 2017, Kyiv, Ukraine}

^{We, the Ministers in Charge of Transport (here in after the Ministers) of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization member states (BSEC), met in Kyiv on November 17, 2017 within the framework of Ukrainian Chairmanship in the BSEC}

^REAFFIRMING^{our adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter for a New Europe, as well as the universally recognized principles and rules of international law,}

^GUIDED^{by the BSEC Charter and its principles and objectives, the Istanbul Summit Declaration on the Black Sea Economic Cooperation signed on 25 June 1992,}^the^{priorities agreed upon in the BSEC Economic Agenda: Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership (Belgrade, 11 June 2012), as well as the Declaration of the 25th Anniversary Summit of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (Istanbul, 22 May 2017),}

^RECOGNIZING^{the high potential and strategic role of the BSEC region, which imply the increased economic importance of its transport system,}

^CONSIDERING^{the necessity to implement Joint Declarations adopted at previous meetings of Ministers of in Charge of Transport of the BSEC Member States,}

^UNDERLINING^the^{importance of the}^{implementation of the}^{Memoranda of Understanding on the Coordinated Development of the Black Sea Ring Highway, Development of the Motorways of the Sea and Facilitation of the Road Transport of Goods in the BSEC Region}^{for trade and transport facilitation,}

^ENCOURAGING ^the^{elaboration of the Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy for the BSEC Region}^within^{the BSEC Working Groups on Customs Matters and on Trade and Economic Development.}

^{TAKING NOTE}^of^{the implementation and the development of the project for issuing BSEC Permits towards the} ^{cooperation on} ^{facilitation of the international transport of goods in the BSEC region by the interested Member States;}

^EMPHASIZING^{that the development of the transport industry is related to the need to strengthen cooperation between the stakeholders in promoting efficient and sustainable transport, improving the transport infrastructure, protecting the environment and increasing the level of safety and security of transport,}

^CONFIRMING^{the priority attention to the development of the efficient transport infrastructure in the BSEC Region and the implementation of mutually beneficial initiatives and projects in the field of transport in order to eliminate physical and non-physical barriers to trade and transportation in the Region;}

^WELCOMING^{the enhanced contribution of the BSEC Sectoral Dialogue Partners and Partner Organizations to the BSEC cooperation on trade and transport facilitation,}

^NOTING^{that further progress on close cooperation between BSEC and other international organizations and institutions, will contribute to the coordinated development of regional transport systems,}

^{CONFIRMING the NECESSITY}^{of more effective involvement of international financial organizations and institutions and private investors to the implementation of investment projects aimed at improving transport communications in the BSEC region,}

^WELCOMING^{the efforts of the BSEC PERMIS to increase the visibility for BSEC initiatives in the field of Transport, including through its active participation to international events and through the increase of coordination with other BSEC Partners in the field of transport,}

^{HAVE AGREED TO:}

^{CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES}^{aimed at developing an efficient transport infrastructure and ICT for sustainable transport in the BSEC region in order to promote trade, mobility and tourism, as well as to improve the overall welfare of the population and stable economic development of the BSEC Member States,}

^{STRENGTHEN COOPERATION}^{on implementation of the}^{Memoranda on the Coordinated Development of the Black Sea Ring Highway, Development of the Motorways of the Sea and Facilitation of Road Transport of Goods}^{and other projects, which contribute to}^diminish^ing^the^{physical and non-physical barriers and facilitate trade and transportation in the BSEC region.}

^ENHANCE^{cooperation and interaction with the BSEC}^{Sectoral Dialogue Partners, Partner Organizations and other}^{international organizations or institutions, in order to implement the infrastructure projects and to increase transport capacity of the Region;}

^PROMOTE^{the public-private partnerships in developing and implementing regional transport projects,}

^INTENSIFY^{the exchange of information on best practices by the BSEC Member States on the implementation of infrastructure projects and transport facilitation.}

^PROMOTE^{the use of information and communication technologies in international road transport, with particular emphasis on the digitalization of procedures, established under the UN agreements and conventions.}

^SUPPORT^{the establishment of infrastructure, facilities and equipment that promote intermodal transport.}

^PROVIDE^{all necessary support in order to achieve the above goals.}

^{The Ministers expressed appreciation to the Government of Ukraine for the warm hospitality and successful organization of the Meeting of the Ministers of Transport of the BSEC Member States.}