21 May 2025, Leipzig, Germany – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in collaboration with the International Road Federation (IRF) and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), and with the financial support of Sweden (Sida), organised the Official Side Event titled “Effective Qualifications-Based and Gender-Responsive Procurement as a Tool to Enhance the Resilience of Transport Systems” on 21 May 2025 during the ITF 2025 Summit held in Leipzig, Germany.Transport systems in many LMICs remain under development, making the current decade crucial for avoiding inefficient investments and costly retrofitting in the future. Natural hazards cause an estimated USD 15 billion in direct damage to global transport systems annually, with LMICs bearing about USD 8 billion — the highest costs relative to their GDP. Despite the transport sector receiving around 29% of global climate finance, it faces the largest investment gap of any sector.

Against this background, the session explored the challenges and innovative procurement strategies and solutions for building resilient transport systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and emerging economies. It underscored the crucial role of effective procurement in shaping the resilience of transport infrastructure in the face of diverse global challenges, while optimising resources, promoting gender equality, and a more equitable and sustainable future. The session featured key speakers, including Dhouha Najjar, UfM Acting Deputy Secretary General for Transport and Urban Development, and Gonzalo Alcaraz, IRF Acting Director General. The panel discussion brought together experts from across the field, including Francesc Carbonell, UfM Head of Sector for Transport, Susanna Zammataro, CEO of FIDIC, Nicolas Peltier, Global Director for Transport at the World Bank, and Reinaldo Fioravanti, Group Head of Infrastructure & Transportation at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The session was moderated by Mike Evans, Director of Global Roads and Streets at ARUP and Board Member of IRF.