21 November 2023 marked an important milestone with the celebration of the International Union of Railways’ (UIC’s) Regional Assembly of Latin America (RAML), with distinguished UIC Latin American Region experts and representatives from each of its members, who are the leading railway organisations in the region, in attendance.
These included UIC Director-General François Davenne; the Passenger Director and Coordinator for the Latin American and Middle East regions, Marc Guigon; the Chair of the UIC Latin America Region and Secretary-General of the Latin American Railway Association (ALAF), José Villafañe; and Vice Chair of the UIC Latin America Region and Chair of ANPTrilhos, Joubert Flores.
Accompanying them were representatives from influential bodies such as EFE Trenes de Chile, ALAF, Ferrocarriles Argentinos (FASE), the Argentinian Rail Transport Safety Board (JST), and the National Infrastructure Agency of Colombia (ANI).
The agenda included discussions on crucial administrative matters, addressing governance issues, the upcoming international UIC activities, and the fundamental aspects of financing. Additionally, each member had the opportunity to introduce the projects their companies had undertaken within the UIC membership framework and to share progress in the development of topics of interest, in collaboration with UIC experts.
A crucial aspect of the meeting was the presentation of the 2024 outlook, where members proposed a variety of activities aimed at fostering development and excellence in the railway sector, such as conferences and participation in working groups on topics including security, safety, gender equality, and railway system maintenance.
ANI presented valuable content on the future of rail transport in Colombia, outlining an ambitious plan for the recovery of railway transport in the country, along with railway line expansion projects up to 2050. These would not only strengthen the nation’s connectivity but also facilitate international integration with neighbouring countries. A key point in ANI’s presentation was also their explanation of the Railway Law project. Emphasising the need for legislative updates, ANI discussed how the current law has been in effect for 100 years and that the new legislation proposal reflects Colombia’s commitment to modernise and adapt to the railway industry’s changing demands.
This meeting represents a significant step forward in promoting collaboration and expertise sharing in the Latin American railway industry. UIC and its members have reaffirmed their commitment to continued progress and excellence in the region.
