From 2 to 5 June 2025, the International Union of Railways (UIC) arranged a technical visit to Brazil. The agenda covered events aimed at strengthening ties with railway authorities and companies, as well as fostering dialogue around the sustainable financing of low-carbon mobility. This visit forms part of the preparations for COP30, which will take place this November in Belém, Brazil.
One of the main highlights was the seminar “Thriving Economies: Financing Sustainable Transport for COP30”, co-organised with Brazil’s National Association of Passenger Rail Operators (ANPTrilhos) and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). The event brought together government representatives, multilateral organisations, industry leaders, and financial experts, giving them a platform to discuss innovative climate finance mechanisms, including those under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. During the seminar, emphasis was placed on the strategic role of public and railway transport in the region’s climate response, and a call to action was presented to be promoted at COP30.
That same afternoon, the UIC Latin America Regional Assembly (LARA) was held at the ANPTrilhos headquarters. Participants included ANPTrilhos, the Latin American Railway Association (ALAF), the Chilean State Railway Company (EFE), Argentinian State Railways (FASE), and Brazil’s National Association of Railway Transport (ANTF). There, a presentation of the UIC 2026–2028 Work Programme was given. This programme focuses on climate action, technical standards, digitalisation, institutional strengthening, and international cooperation.
The region’s financial results were also approved, with the progress made by various working groups on safety, asset management, and infrastructure maintenance being reviewed. Creating new thematic working groups – such as the LARA Freight Taskforce – was proposed, and the work with UITP was bolstered.
Throughout the week, the UIC team, led by Bertrand Minary and Vanessa Pérez, held meetings with key stakeholders from Brazil’s rail sector, including Infra S.A., the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), the planned high-speed rail service (TAV), Trens Intercidades São Paulo (TIC), MRS Logística, and the National Association of Authorised Railways (ANFA). These exchanges helped identify technical cooperation opportunities in areas such as standardisation, digitalisation, and sustainability.
As part of the visit, a field trip was organised to the Port of Santos, the largest port complex in Latin America, in coordination with ANTF. The trip provided an opportunity to observe the integration of rail operations with port logistics first-hand, showcasing innovations aimed at optimising the supply chain. It also encouraged discussions on intermodality and sustainable strategies. This experience was instrumental in reinforcing the vision of a connected and efficient railway transport system, in line with regional challenges concerning international trade and logistics decarbonisation.
This visit reaffirms UIC’s commitment to Latin America at a pivotal moment, as the organisation seeks to reposition rail as a driver for regional, climate, and economic transformation.
Next stop: COP30.
