Damascus, July 15 (SANA)Syrian Transport Minister Yarub Badr chaired a regional meeting organized by the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on Wednesday to advance recommendations aimed at strengthening transport networks and supply chain resilience amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Held virtually, the meeting brought together members of anESCWAregional task force to review progress on recommendations adopted during the commission’s ministerial dialogue on transport, logistics and supply chains held in April.

Badr called for closer coordination among Arab countries to address challenges facing transport and logistics, urging a shift from policy discussions to practical initiatives that improve logistics corridors, facilitate trade and strengthen supply chain resilience. He also highlighted the importance of digital solutions and transport infrastructure development.

Participants reviewed a regional tracking matrix developed by ESCWA to create a unified database of national, bilateral and regional transport and logistics initiatives, helping governments identify priorities and accelerate implementation.

Discussions focused on mapping alternative land and maritime trade corridors, assessing bottlenecks, simplifying customs and border procedures, expanding digital information exchange, and advancing rail connectivity and multimodal logistics networks.

Participants agreed to update the regional tracking matrix based on proposals submitted by participating countries and organizations and to hold additional virtual meetings focused on priority initiatives. ESCWA’s secretariat will prepare an interim progress report before the end of October for submission to the commission’s Transport and Logistics Committee.

The meeting forms part of ongoing cooperation between Syria and ESCWA on sustainable transport policies and regional infrastructure development.F.J./ABD