High-Level Conference on Transport, Logistics, and Trade Routes

HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORT, LOGISTICS, AND TRADE ROUTES

“CONNECTING ASIA WITH EUROPE”

RIGA, JUNE 3-4, 2014

TUESDAY, JUNE 3

12:30 – 13:30 / Registration and Welcoming Lunch
Venue:Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija (Elizabetes iela 55)
Registration: Second Floor
Lunch:Second Floor
Working Languages: English/Russian
13:30–13:45 / Address by H.E. Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
13:45 – 14:00 / Address by Mr Anrijs Matīss,
Minister of Transport of the Republic of Latvia
14:00 – 14:15 / Address by Mr Weng Mengyong, Vice-minister of Transport of the People’s Republic of China
14:15– 15:45 / First Session
China'sStrategic Visionfor Cooperation withCentral and Eastern European Countries
The future vision of China-Europe economic and transport cooperation within the new perspective of China-CEE economic ties. What are the most important challenges of China-CEE cooperation in the political and economic framework? How could China-CEE facilitate common investment projects?
Moderator:
Mr Åke Peterson,Ambassador to Central Asia of theMinistry for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden
Speakers:
Ms Chen Bo, Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
Mr Wang Hongwei, ,Deputy General Manager of Department of Special Financing Account of the Export-Import Bank of China
Mr Siniša Hajdaš Dončić,Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia
Mr Arijandas Šliupas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania
Mr Eero Pärgmäe, Vice-minister for Transportof the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Estonia
Mr Artis Kampars, Chairman of the Board of the Latvia-China Business Council
15:45–16:00 / Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:30 / Second Session
Challenges for the Transportation Industry
In this panel, policy makers and professionals working in the areas of transport and international trade will be discussing and characterizing the environment of investment climate in the industry and looking for common investment cooperation framework and objectives.
Moderator:
Mr Olavs Ritenis, CEO of the Ventures International Group, Singapore
Speakers:
Mr Rustam Kutlyev,Chairman of the State Maritime and River Transport Service of Turkmenistan
Mr Uģis Magonis,Chairman of the Board of SJSC Latvian Railway
Ms Wang Yanhua, Adviser of International Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
Mr Janusz Lacny,President of the International Road Transport Union
Dr. Libor Lochman,Executive Director of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies
Mr Takao Omori, President and CEO of the Portek International Private Ltd.
Mr Aleksandr Saltanov, Vice-President of the Russian Railways
Mr Askar Mamin,President of the Joint-stock company "National Company Kazakhstan temir zholy"
18:45 / Departure for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia –Venue of Reception
Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela 3
(Buses will be provided)
19:00–20:30 / Reception hosted byMr Andrejs Pildegovičs, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
Opening remarks by:
Mr Andrejs Pildegovičs, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
H.E. Mrs Laimdota Straujuma, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4

09:00–09:30 / Coffee
Venue: Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija,Second Floor
Elizabetes iela 55
09:30–09:45 / Opening speechbyMr Mohammad Sarwar, Governor of Punjab of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
09:45–11:15 / Third Session
Transportation investment climate in Asia and Europe: projects and perspectives
Opportunities and capacity for investment projects in Asia and Europe. What are the plans of transport infrastructure: roads, railroads, ports and airports for the countries? Presentations of investment projects of countries representatives.
Moderator:
Prof. Andris Sprūds,Director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs
Speakers:
Mr Zoltan Istvan,Secretary of State of theMinistry of Transport ofRomania
Mr Khayrullo Asoev, Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan
Dr. Daoud Ali Najafi, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Mr Sun Ziyu,Vice-president of theChina Communications Construction Co. Ltd.
Mr Yeryan Khabshai,Vice-minister of Roads and Transportation of Mongolia
Mr Yuri Petrov, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation
Mr Artūrs Kokars, Director of Aviation Services Department of theRiga International Airport
11:15–11:45 / Family Photo and Coffee Break
11:45–13:15 / Fourth Session
Eurasian Transport and Logistics Corridor Development and the CEE role in Transcontinental Trade Flows and the Development of Infrastructure
The development of Eurasian transport corridors provides the opportunity for trade facilitation between China and Europe. We will examine the role of Central Asia within this process. What are the challenges and barriers for trade flow facilitation in the context of Chinese investment in the CEE transport infrastructure?
Moderator:
Mr Rūdolfs Brēmanis,Head of Foreign Economic Relations Promotion Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
Speakers:
Mr Kalykbek Sultanov, Minister of Transport of the Kyrgyz Republic
Rear Admiral Ron J. MacLaren,Director Joint Contingency Acquisition Support Office, Defence Logistics Agency, USA
Mr Yu Fonglin, Vice-mayor of Chengdu, People’s Republic of China
Mr Johann Metzner,Head of Transport Policy Europe at Deutsche Bahn AG
Mr Raitis Tukāns, Member of the Board of LDz Cargo LogisticsLtd.
Mrs Banashri Bose Harrison, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Republic of Latvia
Mr Harry F. Eustace,Sr. Chairman of FMN International, Inc.
13:15 – 13:30 / Closing remarks
Mr Andrejs Pildegovičs,State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia
13:30–14:30 / Lunch
Venue: Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija
14:45 / Departure for a boat trip and sight-seeing along the River Daugava
(Buses will be provided)
15:00–17:00 / Boat trip and sight-seeing along the River Daugava,
provided courtesy of the Free Port of Riga

CONTACTS

Organisingcommittee:

H.E. Mr. Igors Apokins, Ambassador-at-Large for Central Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, e-mail:

Mrs. Egita Karlsone, Head of the Bureau of State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, e-mail:

Mr. Arvils Zeltiņš, Third secretary, Foreign Economic Relations Promotion Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, e-mail:

Ms. Elīna Luca-Ratfeldere, Deputy Head of Transit Department, Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Latvia, e-mail: