Both rich countries and poor are increasingly dependent on the world-wide mobility of people, goods and information and on access to global markets and sources of supply. The transport problems encountered by countries in various stages of development differ in degree but are often closely comparable in nature and susceptible to similar types of solutions. The means of improving transportation over a wide range of conditions could be advanced through the continuing analysis and dissemination of global experience and through international collaboration in research and development. New approaches to education and training are also needed to increase the number of people with the capacity to develop effective transport strategies and to operate local, national and international transport services geared to the changing requirements of a global economy. With much of the world inaccessible, impoverished and unable to engage in productive activity, improvements in transportation and communication are often the prerequisites of other efforts to improve economic conditions. Greater international co-operation is called for to help overcome the gaps in the global network and to expand world production and trade. (Author/publisher)
Abstract