The UITP Mena Public Transport for Large Events Summit is set to begin today at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

The summit will focus on safety and security for transportation in large events.

The summit has come at a time when Qatar is investing heavily on developing an efficient public transport infrastructure through a rail metro of international standards and a world-class roads
network.

The meeting spread over three days will feature such topics as the ‘public transport infrastructure at large sport extravaganzas like FIFA World Cup held in Brazil earlier this year and 2012 London Olympics among others.

The sessions on taxis will cover regulation, technical specifications, new technologies and many
operational issues.

Besides from the region’s countries, speakers are expected from Europe, South America and Asia.

Mowasalat chief executive officer Khalid Nasser al-Hail yesterday said through the UITP summit, the country hopes to make use of the knowledge and expertise of experts with extensive experience in different areas of public
transportation.

“It is an opportunity for the local stakeholders to learn from the experiences of densely populated cities in Asia like Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo and Delhi how they addressed the transport requirements of the public during large sport extravaganzas that each of them hosted in the last one decade,” said Nasser al-Khanji, executive
director, Mowasalat.

Secretary General of UITP Alain Flausch (Belgium) will participate in a number of sessions.

The Prime Minister and Interior Minister HE Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani will open the summit. The Transport Minister HE Jassem bin Saif Ahmed al-Sulati and Secretary General of Qatar Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy Hassan al-Thawadi will address the proceedings.

CITEC Geneva president Franco Tufo will deliver the keynote address.

Mowasalat, the organisers, said about 1,500 delegates from more than 30 countries are expected to participate in the
summit.

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