The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : A HIGHWAY FOR INTEGRATION

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Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Editorials

A HIGHWAY FOR INTEGRATION

THE CONCLUSION OF a landmark agreement among 23 countries for a 140,000-km Asian Highway Network (AHN) in Shanghai marks the culmination of a protracted exercise under the aegis of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP). The project, to integrate Asia and provide a huge network of highways to link the countries, was conceived way back in 1959 but it was only in 1992 that it received the backing of some of the Governments in the region. After 12 years, 23 of the 32 countries to be linked by the AHN have signed the agreement. This project is just one part of a larger Asian Land Transport Infrastructure Development programme of ESCAP, which was firmed up in 1992. An ambitious Trans-Asian Railway and facilitation of land transport projects are the other two components of the programme. The AHN envisages a critical mass of road network that will extend from Tokyo to Teheran and Singapore to Samarkand. Island nations such as Japan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka will have a ferry link to complete the network. If the Governments cooperate, the highway network should be operational by 2010.

The AHN was basically envisaged to help the land-locked countries get over the bottlenecks in trade and transport by creating a network that would make all countries in the Asia-Pacific region accessible by road. Given the fact that road transport, besides enabling the development of the entire hinterland, can be easier and cheaper, the AHN will provide easy passage for people as well as cargo. In an era of globalisation such a network should provide a significant boost to intra-Asian trade and movement of goods and passengers. Why the governments of the region took so long to agree on creating this network is a puzzle, although funding the huge infrastructure development remains a hurdle to be overcome. China will have the lion's share of the network with over 25,000 km, followed by the Russian Federation (16,869 km), Kazakhstan (13,189 km), India (11,432 km) and Iran (11,152 km). With over 50,000 km, the East and Northeast Asian region will account for the bulk of the network. ESCAP has described it as the first inter-governmental agreement developed under its auspices.

At a time when many countries are feeling the "strain of becoming an economic power house," the AHN should be a boon to the Indo-China region, the Central Asian Republics and most of Northeast Asia. It will also provide the more developed countries in the region a cheaper means of transporting goods to these areas. There has been talk of making the 21st Century the `Asian century', although some would contest that and look at it more as a `Pacific Century'. The AHN and the Trans-Asian Railway are two excellent ways for the whole of Asia to be integrated economically and politically. The potential that a road network will offer for the development of tourism cannot possibly be overestimated. Given the inexhaustible cultural wealth Asia offers, the AHN may make it more attractive and put it within easy reach of budget tourists who need to spend their life's savings on transport by air. Without stopping with the road network, ESCAP, which is headquartered in Bangkok, should push for the Trans-Asian Railway. Putting together missing links here and there could gift a huge asset to the countries concerned. Considering the medium- and long-term economic gains from such infrastructure projects, funding should be within reach. Keeping the big picture in mind and with a further determined exercise of political will, the projects should be implemented without further delay.

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