Leipzig – In the next two years, the UAE will focus heavily on upgrading federal and inter-city road networks with improved signages, setting revised speed limits, and installation of sensors and smart traffic lights. “Leading up to the Dubai Expo 2020, we also want to focus on integrating public transportation between the seven emirates. We want to make it easier for people from across the UAE to reach the Expo grounds in Jebel Ali,” said Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed Balhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport. Dr Nuaimi spoke exclusively to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit, 2015 in Leipzig, Germany.

The three-day summit started in Leipzig, Germany on May 27. The ITF is an inter-governmental organisation with 57 member states within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Pressing issues such as emissions from the transportation sector, road deaths, and underutilisation of sustainable forms of transportation, especially railways was discussed at length by leaders in the transportation sector. Over 1,000 participants from 70 countries across the globe participated in the first day of the summit. The UAE is not yet a member state of the ITF but Dr Nuaimi stated that the delegation from the UAE has been participating in the conference for three years now. Details