On May 28, participants in the thematic session “Digital Solutions in Transport and Logistics” discussed the development of AI and digital technologies in the transport and logistics sector. The event was held in Astana as part of the 5th Eurasian Economic Forum.

“The transport sector of the Eurasian Economic Union is developing in an era of rapid transformation of the global economy. Today, we are moving from theory to the practical implementation of digital solutions, from pilot projects to the fully-fledged adoption of paperless technologies, and from individual intelligent solutions to creating digital ecosystems,” noted Arzybek Kozhoshev, the EEC Minister in charge of Energy and Infrastructure.

The speakers at the session were the Deputy Ministers of Transport of the EAEU countries, Dmitry Maryasin, UNECE Deputy Executive Secretary, and Alexey Skatin, Senior Managing Director of the Eurasian Development Bank.

The attendees compared notes on current cases of using AI and digital technologies, the prospects for developing intelligent transport systems and unmanned transport, as well as the technological challenges of implementing AI in transport, and its legal regulation.

In particular, they assessed the preliminary results of the pilot project on the cross-border electronic exchange of e-CMR waybills in international road transport. International transport operations within the EAEU using the e-CMR are scheduled to begin in 2026.

During the discussion, it was emphasized that it is digital technologies that enable a quantum leap: from disembodied data to the EAEU common information space. Thus, Arzybek Kozhoshev has noted that digitalization and artificial intelligence adoption can ensure a 20–30% increase in key performance indicators for the transportation industry.

In conclusion, the EEC Minister noted that the proposals and initiatives put forward would be considered when preparing a draft roadmap for implementing the Main Directions of the Coordinated (Agreed) Transport Policy for 2027–2029.