Following the congresses held in Madrid (2000), Rome (2002), Marseilles (2004) and Gdansk (2007), the 5th UIC World Security Congress was held in Marrakesh on 16 and 17 March, at the invitation of Moroccan Railways (ONCF) and the UIC Security Platform, which had been restructured in June 2008. Given the Platform's worldwide scope, this important event was being held outside of Europe for the first time. This congress, intended for people in charge of security at railway companies and representatives of institutions involved in transport security, was followed by a seminar on safety and high speed, also organised by UIC and ONCF and held in Marrakesh. |
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Around 70 participants from 23 countries attended the Security Congress, representing the railways of Europe (including Russia), Africa and the Maghreb, the Middle East, Asia (India, Korea, Japan), as well as the main international institutions carrying out projects in the field of security - the United Nations organisation UNECE, the European Union's FRONTEX agency, OSJD, the United States TSA, which is chairing the International Working Group on Land Transport Security created as part of the G8. UITP and EIM were also present. ITF (the International Transport Forum, formerly ECMT) and UNESCAP had wished the organisers a successful congress.
The UIC Security Congress was opened on 16 March in the presence of Mr Mohammed Khlie, Chief Executive of Moroccan Railways (ONCF) who was also representing the Transport Minister Mr Karim Ghellab, Mr Mounir Chraibi, Wali (Prefect) of Marrakesh, and Mr Omar Eljazouli, Mayor of Marrakesh.
UIC was represented by Mr Vipin Sharma, Deputy Chief Executive, Mr Tadeusz Kaczmarek, PKP-PLK, Chairman of the UIC Security Platform, Mr Moha Khaddour, ONCF, Vice- Chairman of the Platform, Mr Jacques Colliard, Head of the Security Competence Centre and Ms Marie-Hélène Bonneau, Senior Adviser at the Security Competence Centre.