The Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport (GFST) was launched on July 6, 2022, by the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, and serves as an informal platform to maintain a wide multilateral dialogue on promoting safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all in supporting sustainable economic growth, improving the social welfare of people and enhancing international cooperation and trade among countries.

Today 18 countries joined the GFST, particularly the co-sponsors of the United Nations General Assembly resolutions on sustainable transport 72/212 of 20 December 2017, 75/313 of 29 July 2021, 78/148 of 19 December 2023, entitled “Strengthening the links between all modes of transport to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, and 77/286 of 16 May 2023, entitled “World Sustainable Transport Day”.

Participation in the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport carries no financial, legal, or any other obligations, and aims to consolidate efforts within the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport, 2026-2035.

The First Ministerial Meeting of the Group took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 16 April 2024.

The Final Declaration adopted during the Ministerial Meeting[1] confirmed the following format and working methods of the Group of Friends:

• The Group of Friends has an informal, open-ended nature, and, accordingly, its composition shall be regularly updated, as United Nations Member States, Observers of the General Assembly of the United Nations and the United Nations entities indicate their willingness and interest in joining it;
• The Group of Friends performs its functions with the support of its Secretariat, Advisory Council and other structures that may be initiated and agreed upon by its members;
• The Group of Friends shall meet regularly, at least once or twice a year, at the ambassadorial level in New York. Extraordinary meetings can be convened to discuss specific questions, at the request of its members;
• The Group of Friends shall meet regularly at the ministerial level at a pre-agreed time and venue;
• The Group of Friends will be coordinated by two co-chairs (Turkmenistan and any member country willing to co-chair) for a term of one year and, upon completion of that term, the principle of geographical rotation will be observed for the transfer of the coordination.

The Group continues to implement following objectives:

• Facilitate the exchange of views regarding the implementation of specific UN General Assembly recommendations and guidelines on sustainable transport;
• Contribute to achieving the Agenda 2030 and Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs with the focus on sustainable transportation;
• Promote the multilateral dialogue to prepare and fulfil the implementation plan for the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport for the 10-year period beginning on 1 January 2026, in collaboration with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat, and the United Nations regional economic commissions in consultation with the United Nations Member States, specialized agencies, funds, programmes and bodies of the United Nations, as well as other intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and relevant stakeholders;
• Support UN activities in the framework of the UNFCCC and New Urban Agenda with respect to green transportation, sustainable mobility and low-carbon cities of the future;
• Promotion of effective training programs in the area of transport policies, development of the first comprehensive manual of transport diplomacy;
• Promotion of innovative mechanisms of investments for transport infrastructure development;
• Organize global and regional events on the most critical issues of global supply chain management.

Note: Countries and international organizations could join the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport by sending diplomatic notes or letters of intent (or joining by the following link https://bit.ly/GoFST_MEMBERSHIP).

[1] Document A/78/881 of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

List of countries and organisations that have
joined the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport

Countries

1. Angola;
2. Armenia;
3. Azerbaijan;
4. Belarus;
5. China;
6. Djibouti;
7. El Salvador;
8. Kyrgyzstan;
9. Lao DPR;
10. Morocco;
11. Nicaragua;
12. Qatar;
13. Philippines;
14. Russian Federation;
15. Tajikistan;
16. Türkiye;
17. Turkmenistan;
18. Uzbekistan.

Organizations

• Office of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, H.E. Mr.Jean Todt.