Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Hon Advocate Felix Tapowa Mhona is set to travel to Switzerland this week to participate in the 88th session of the Inland Transport Committee, a high-level global forum convened under the United Nations.
The meeting will take place from February 17 to 20, 2026, at the Palais des Nations, bringing together ministers, policymakers and transport experts from across the world to deliberate on the future of inland transport systems.
The Minister will be accompanied by the ministry’s legal advisor Advocate Kingston Magaya, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe board chairperson Mr Kura Sibanda, Traffic Safety Council od Zimbabwe Managing Director Mr Munesu Munodawafa, and other senior Government officials.
The Inland Transport Committee serves as the UN’s principal platform for inland transport cooperation, enabling member States to address regional and global mobility challenges while developing harmonised systems for road, rail and inland waterway transport.
This year’s session is being held at a time of significant transformation within both the UN system and the global transport sector.
The high-level segment, themed “Driving Innovation for the Future of Inland Transport,” will examine how emerging trends such as automation, artificial intelligence, digitalisation and data-driven governance can be responsibly integrated into transport networks.
Discussions will focus on crafting science-based and interoperable regulatory frameworks aimed at improving safety, sustainability and resilience across transport systems worldwide.
Over the past 75 years, the committee and its subsidiary bodies have provided an intergovernmental forum for negotiating and adopting international legal instruments considered essential for building efficient, integrated and secure inland transport systems.
According to United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the ITC oversees more than 60 international legal agreements covering areas such as vehicle standards, the transport of dangerous goods, border-crossing facilitation, infrastructure development and multimodal transport integration.
More than 20 ministers, alongside leaders of international organisations, industry representatives and civil society actors, are expected to attend the session to map out strategic priorities and address governance and technical issues shaping the future of global mobility.
Participants will also witness a live demonstration of next-generation intelligent transport systems designed to enhance cyclist protection and improve safety for vulnerable road users, highlighting the growing role of innovation in modern transport planning.
thevhayeya.com to the World
Story by Lovemore Masunungure
