Connecting global regions for sustainable economic growth

Plenary Session

Hall 1, Level +1

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 14:00 to 16:00

Around the globe, between countries, from city to city, or to the other side of town, good transport infrastructure and efficient mobility services bring people together and goods to their markets. The connectivity that transport provides widens horizons and opens up opportunities. It builds stronger communities and expands their reach. It strengthens our economies and helps our societies to prosper.

The Opening Plenary session will set a scene for the Summit debates that will explore how better transport connectivity can help integrate regions - from local communities and cities to global regions - and enable the achievement of economic, social, and environmental goals.

Panel discussion:

  • How does better transport connectivity engender more sustainable development in global regions?
  • How does improved connectivity impact wider economic growth, in particular, with regard to investment, trade, and tourism?
  • How can governments better incentivise increased investment in infrastructure for better connectivity?
  • What is the role of international cooperation in supporting and improving connectivity on a global level?

The Opening Plenary will be preceded by opening remarks from the Minister of Republic of Korea, the 2019 presidency country of ITF, the Minister of Germany for the host country and the ITF Secretary-General.

 

Pat Cox

Moderator, Journalist and former President of the European Parliament

Pat Cox has been President of the European Parliament Former Members’ Association (2010-2014), President of the European Movement International (2005-2011), a former President of the European Parliament (2002-2004), and Member of the European Parliament (1989-2004). Between 1998 and 2002 he was President of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) Group European Parliament. Prior to this Cox was a current affairs television broadcaster for RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster, from 1982 to 1986 and Secretary General Progressive Democrat Party (Ireland) between 1986 and 1989.

Andreas Scheuer

Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure
Germany

Andreas Scheuer is Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany since March 2018. He studied political science, economics and sociology at Passau University, graduating with the degree of Magister Artium in 2001. In 2004 he got an award of a doctorate by the Charles University in Prague. Mr Scheuer has been Member of the German Bundestag since 2002. From 2009 to 2013 he was Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development and Federal Government Coordinator for Freight Transport and Logistics. From December 2013 to March 2018 he was Secretary-General of the Christian Social Union (CSU).

Kitack Lim

Secretary-General
International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Mr. Lim was born in Masan, Gyeongsangnam-do, in the Republic of Korea. He majored in nautical science at the Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU), Busan, graduating in 1977. He worked on ships as a Korean naval officer and for an international shipping company. He joined the Korea Maritime and Port Administration in 1985, while continuing with further studies at the Graduate School of Administration, Yonsei University, obtaining a Master’s Degree in 1990.  He then studied maritime administration at the World Maritime University (WMU), graduating with a master’s degree. From 1995 he attended a doctoral programme for international law at KMOU, completing course work in 1998.  Mr. Lim began attending IMO meetings as part of the Republic of Korea’s delegation in 1986 and he engaged in activities to promote maritime safety through effective implementation of IMO conventions in his country and other IMO Member States in the Asian region. He was elected Chair of IMO's Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI - now III) in 2001 and of the Tokyo Memorandum on Port State Control in 2004.  In 2006, Mr. Lim was appointed Director General of the Maritime Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and then as a Senior Maritime Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in London and led all IMO work for the Republic of Korea, serving as an Alternate Permanent Representative to IMO up to August 2009. Following that, he was re-appointed Director General for Maritime Safety Bureau (MLTM). In March 2011, Mr. Lim was appointed Commissioner of the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal (KMST).  In July 2012, he assumed the position of President of Busan Port Authority, until January 2016 when he took up his appointment as Secretary-General of IMO. 

Alexandre de Juniac

Director General and CEO
International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Alexandre de Juniac became the seventh person to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when he took on the role of Director General and CEO from 1 September 2016. De Juniac has almost three decades of experience in both the private and public sectors. This includes senior positions in the airline and aerospace industries and the French government. De Juniac served as Chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM (2013-2016) and prior to that as Chairman and CEO of Air France (2011-2013). Under de Juniac’s leadership Air France and Air France-KLM underwent a successful restructuring that improved efficiency and strengthened performance. He has also served on the IATA Board of Governors (2013-2016). De Juniac has broad aviation sector experience, including 14 years at French aerospace, space, defense, security and transportation company Thales, and its predecessor companies Thompson-CSF and Thompson SA (1995-2009). In his last position at Thales, de Juniac was responsible for the company’s operations and sales in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.De Juniac has also held positions in the French government. His career began with the Conseil d’Etat (State Council) from 1988 to 1993. Subsequently, he served in the Department of Budget (1993-1995); and in the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employment as Chief of Staff to then Minister Christine Lagarde (2009-2011). A French citizen, de Juniac was born in 1962. He is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique de Paris and Ecole Nationale de l’Administration. At IATA he works from both the association’s main offices in Montreal, Canada and Geneva, Switzerland.

Violeta Bulc

European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport
European Commission

Violeta Bulc is the European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport. She has been appointed to the office in November 2014. As Commissioner, Ms Bulc has placed priority on digitalisation and innovation in transport. Ms Bulc brings a diverse set of expertise and professional experiences to the role. Immediately prior to her appointment to the European Commission, she was the Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia, with ministerial responsibility for development, strategic projects and cohesion. From 2013 to 2014, Bulc was Chief of the Program Committee of the SMC Party, Slovenia. She was also CEO of Vibacom Ltd, Sustainable Strategies and Innovation Ecosystems from 2000 to 2014. Between 1999 and 2000 she was Vice-President of Telemach, a telecommunications provider. A Slovenian citizen, Violeta Bulc earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Informatics at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, as well as a Master's degree in Information Technology at the Golden Gate University of San Francisco.

Stientje van Veldhoven

State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management
The Netherlands

Stientje van Veldhoven began her career in 1997 as personal assistant to Elly Plooij van Gorsel, a member of the European Parliament for the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). From 1999 to 2003 she served as an innovation policy officer at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. From 2003 she worked at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the European Union as first secretary for research policy and as scientific and technological attaché. In 2007 Ms Van Veldhoven became a policy advisor at the European Commission, focusing on the coordination of intergovernmental initiatives. From 2009 to 2010 she was unit coordinator for the Zuidvleugel Randstad region at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. On 17 June 2010 Ms Van Veldhoven became a member of the House of Representatives for Democrats ’66 (D66), with policy responsibility for issues including sustainability, mobility, climate and energy, development cooperation, and agriculture, nature and food quality. From 2012 to 2017 she served as a member of the presidium and secretary to the D66 parliamentary party. On 26 October 2017 Stientje van Veldhoven was appointed State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management in the third Rutte government.

Jeong Ryeol Kim

Vice Minister for Transport, Korea
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Mr. Jeong Ryeol Kim was appointed as Vice Minister for Transport, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korea in April 2018. Having joined the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport from 1989, he has been in senior positions in Transport and Logistics, Road, Public Housing Construction, Policy Planning, as well as Public Agency Relocation departments. He also has experience as visiting professor in Portland State University, USA in 2015, as well as seconded to Urban Housing Office in Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Korea.

Amani Abou-Zeid

Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy
African Union

Dr Amani Abou-Zeid is the African Union Commissioner in charge of Infrastructure, Energy, ICT and Tourism.

For more than 30 years, Commissioner Abou-Zeid has served in leadership positions in international organisations, such as the African Development Bank, UNDP and USAID, with a focus on infrastructure and energy programmes. Over her career, she has amassed a remarkable mix of experience from across Africa, France, UK and Canada and worked across constituencies and with wide array of stakeholders.

An Egyptian national, Dr Abou-Zeid has a multi-disciplinary academic training: B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Cairo University; an MBA in project management from the French University for African Development (Université Senghor); a Masters of Public Administration MC/MPA from Harvard School of Government; and a Ph.D. in Social and Economic Development from The University of Manchester, UK. She also has a degree in Arts from Université Sorbonne-Paris IV.

Li Xiaopeng

Minister of Transport of P.R. China

Li Xiaopeng is serving as the Minister of Transport of the P.R. China. He is the former chief executive of China Huaneng Group, a power generation company. He was also Governor of Shanxi between 2012 and 2016.

Elaine L. Chao

Secretary of Transportation, United States of America

Secretary Elaine L. Chao is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. She also served as U.S. Secretary of Labor, the first Asian American woman appointed to the President's cabinet in American history. Prior to the Department of Labor, Secretary Chao was President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of America.

She has also served as Deputy Maritime Administrator; Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission; Deputy U.S. Secretary of Transportation; and, Director of the Peace Corps.  She earned her MBA from the Harvard Business School.