Sustainable freight transport entails, in particular, sustainable transport policies, planning strategies, and investment decisions that effectively balance the economic, environmental and social objectives. This is particularly crucial for developing countries, including in Caribbean SIDS as they have the opportunity – given their developmental stage and current focus on infrastructure development process – to consider integrating at early stages of infrastructure investment and planning, relevant sustainability principles and criteria.
UNCTAD delivered a capacity-building and training workshop on “Sustainable Freight Transport and Finance” on 9-13 July 2018 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The workshop was conducted by international and regional experts and structured around three main themes, namely sustainable surface freight transport, sustainable maritime freight transport and financing for sustainable freight transport including the use of public private partnership (PPP). The aim of the workshop was to raise awareness and share experiences and best practices among relevant public and private sector stakeholders on the various aspects of sustainable freight transport and finance.
Participants from the public and private sectors in transport, infrastructure and finance from 10 CARICOM Member States (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago) engaged in the 5-day training workshop and outcome-oriented discussions.
UNECLAC, The Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, the Caribbean Development Bank and the Association of Caribbean States were also part of this regional capacity building initiative.
Mr. Sudhir Gota, International Expert, who works primarily on environmental issues related to freight transport and Dr. Michele Acciaro, Associate Professor of Maritime Logistics, Kühne Logistics University (KLU) and representatives from the Economics Department, Caribbean Development Bank delivered the training.
