Overland transport

Completing the economic aspects of the Arab Convention on the Overland Carriage of Passengers Between and Across Arab States, which was approved by the Council of Arab Ministers of Transport

They call for completion of the drafting of the Arab convention on the overland carriage of passengers between and across Arab States in order to encourage and facilitate Arab intraregional tourism.

The strengthening of the capacity of the airport at Entebbe, Uganda, which was readily accessible overland from several major seaports, would contribute to the smoother operation of other peacekeeping missions in the region.

A 1,600 mile stretch of the Asian Highway Network will be ready by the end of 2005, making overland travel possible for the first time from the Indian Ocean coast of Myanmar to the Pacific Ocean shores of Viet Nam.

Expressing gratification at progress to date toward completion of the basic infrastructure of networks of overland road links between Arab States, and affirming the need for greater coordination among the various relevant authorities at border crossing points to facilitate transport between Arab States,

Western governments aim to circumvent Russia s pipelines and import some oil and gas directly. China views the region s resources as an essential complement to its more vulnerable maritime energy imports from Africa and the Persian Gulf, and has invested billions of dollars constructing overland pipelines.

The leaders express their gratification at progress to date toward completion of the basic infrastructure of overland road links between Arab States, and affirm the importance of greater coordination among the various relevant authorities at border crossing points to facilitate trade and the movement of goods.

The overland silk road, for example, will reduce China s reliance on sea lanes, which can be blocked or disrupted, especially at the Strait of Malacca. More generally, Chinese investment will ease the constraints on the silk road economies caused partly by slow growth and investment shortfalls in advanced economies.

The one belt, one road initiative aims to re create the ancient overland and maritime Silk Roads that carried goods and ideas from Asia to Europe. Given that the project will entail significant Chinese investment affecting some 50 countries, its appeal in the developing world is not difficult to fathom.

To provide effective support to the Eastern brigades, the Mission will establish a regional logistics base for eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in Entebbe, Uganda, which has one of the largest airports in Africa and is accessible overland from a large capacity Indian Ocean seaport in Dar es Salaam.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang subsequently reiterated that goal at the Asia Pacific Economic nbsp Cooperation summit, and again at the East Asia Summit last year. Since then, the establishment of a modern overland and maritime Silk Road has become official Chinese policy, endorsed by the Communist Party and the National People s Congress.

Also vital to the new strategy are two prospective modern day Silk Roads an overland route through Central Asia to the Black Sea and a Maritime Silk Road by which shipping will pass from the South China Sea, through the Strait of Malacca, across the Indian Ocean to East Africa, and from there through the Red Sea into the eastern Mediterranean.

On the contrary, its overland and maritime routes could attract considerable investment to participating countries especially from China, as it seeks new avenues for deploying its vast reserves. But the modern Silk Road s establishment will also mark a step toward reinvigorating the ancient Chinese concept of tianxia, in which the Chinese emperor was considered the divinely appointed ruler of the entire known world.