TRACECA
TRACECA (acronym: Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) is an international transport programme involving the European Union and 14 member States of the Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian region.[1] It has a permanent Secretariat, originally financed by the European Commission, in Baku, Azerbaijan, and a regional office in Odessa, Ukraine. Since 2009 the organisation has been entirely financed by member countries.
Origins
TRACECA was established in 1993, upon the signing of Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the development of transport initiatives (including the establishment and development of a road corridor) between the EU, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The Permanent Secretariat of TRACECA was established in March 2000 in Baku, and inaugurated on February 21, 2001 with the participation of the then President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, together with Javier Solana, Christopher Patten, Anna Lind. The objectives of TRACECA were underlined by the Baku Initiative of 2004, followed by a further ministerial conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2006.
Membership
The following states participate in the TRACECA program: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.[2]
Secretary-General
The first elected Secretary General was a representative of Georgia, ambassador Zviad Kvatchantiradze. The Permanent Secretariat was led by Zhantoro Satybaldyev representing the Kyrgyz Republic from 2009 till 2011.
In 2011, Mr Eduard Biriucov, representing the Republic of Moldova was elected Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA.
From 2015 until now, the Secretary General in chair is Mr. Mircea Ciopraga.
Projects
TRACECA has five working groups: maritime transport, aviation, road and rail, transport security, and transport infrastructure. Amongst its specific projects was the creation of a new bridge to replace and protect the heritage bridge at Krasny Most, between Georgia and Azerbaijan.