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{{EngvarB|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox Organization
| name            = TRACECA
| type            = Economic co-operation organisation
| formation       = 1993
| location        = [[Eurasia]]
| membership      = 14 plus 28 European Union members
| website         = <div class="plainlinksneverexpand">{{URL|http://www.traceca-org.org/en/home/}}</div>
}}

'''TRACECA'''  ([[acronym]]: '''Tra'''nsport '''C'''orridor '''E'''urope-'''C'''aucasus-'''A'''sia) is an international transport programme involving the [[European Union]] and 14 member States of the Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian region.<ref name=members>[http://www.traceca-org.org/default.php?l=en "TRACECA Member Countries"], Traceca.org, accessed 30 January 2017</ref> The programme aim is to strengthen economic relations, trade and transport in the regions of the Black Sea basin, South Caucasus and Central Asia. It has a permanent Secretariat, originally financed by the [[European Commission]], in [[Baku]], Azerbaijan, and a regional office in [[Odessa]], Ukraine. Since 2009 the organisation has been entirely financed by member countries.

==Origins==
TRACECA was established in May 1993, upon the signing of Multilateral Agreement on International Transport for the development of transport initiatives (including the establishment and development of a road corridor) between the EU member states, the [[Caucasus]] and Central Asia countries. The programme supports the political and economic independence of the former Soviet Union republics through enhancing their access to European and global markets through road, rail and sea.<ref>Dekanozishvili, Mariam [http://gfsis.org/media/activities/thumb1_/pub/files/publications_politics/dekanozishvili_The_EU.pdf "The EU in the South Caucasus:By What Means, to What End?"], Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, January 2004, accessed 30 January 2017</ref>
The objectives of TRACECA were underlined by the [[Baku Initiative]] of 2004,<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=U30skV5UTaoC&pg=PA144 |title= The Black Sea region and EU policy: the challenge of divergent agendas |first1 = Karen | last1 = Henderson |first2 = Carol | last2 = Weaver |publisher= [[Ashgate Publishing]] |year=2010 |pages=143–145 |isbn= 978-1-4094-1201-4}}
</ref> followed by a further ministerial conference in [[Sofia]], Bulgaria, in 2006.

==Membership==
[[File:TRACECA.png|thumb|500px|{{legend|#0080FF|European Union}} {{legend|#008000|TRACECA participating states}} {{legend|#00FF00|TRACECA agreement signed, but not yet participating}}]]

The following states currently participate in the TRACECA program:<ref name=members/>

{{columns-list|3|
* {{Flagu|Armenia}}
* {{Flagu|Azerbaijan}}
* {{Flagu|Bulgaria}}
* {{Flagu|Georgia}}
* {{Flagu|Kazakhstan}}
* {{Flagu|Kyrgyzstan}}
* {{Flagu|Iran}}
* {{Flagu|Moldova}}
* {{Flagu|Romania}}
* {{Flagu|Turkey}}
* {{Flagu|Ukraine}}
* {{Flagu|Uzbekistan}}
* {{Flagu|Tajikistan}}
* {{Flagu|Turkmenistan}}

Plus the 28 member states of the
* {{Flagu|European Union}}
}}

Iran officially joined TRACECA in 2009 after their request was accepted during that year's September Brussels meeting.<ref> [http://www.upi.com/Iran-joins-TRACECA/79661254166618/ "Iran joins TRACECA"], UPI.com, 28 September 2009, accessed 30 January 2017</ref> However technical assistance related to the project has not been provided to Iran since 2010 due to UN Security and EU sanctions.

In July 2016, Greece announced they are considering joining TRACECA activities as an observer.<ref>Hasanli, Azad. [http://en.trend.az/business/economy/2555819.html "Greece keen to join TRACECA"], Trend news agency, 11 July 2016, accessed 30 January 2017</ref>

==Secretary-General==
The Secretary-General is a chief executive officer of the Permanent Secretariat. The first Secretary-General elected by the Intergovernmental Commission was a representative of Georgia, ambassador [[Zviad Kvatchantiradze]].

The current Secretary-General is Mircea Ciopraga, appointed by the Intergovernmental Commission in January 2015. 

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!№ !! Secretary-General !! Dates in office !! Country of origin !! Ref
|-
|1
|[[Zviad Kvatchantiradze]]
|2000–2002
|{{flagu|Georgia}}
| rowspan=6|<ref>[http://www.traceca-org.org/en/traceca/permanent-secretariat/former-secretaries-general/ "Former TRACECA Secretaries General"], Traceca.org, accessed 30 January 2017</ref>
|-
|2
|Abdurashid Tagirov
|2002–2003
|{{flagu|Uzbekistan}}
|-
|3
|Lyudmila Trenkova
|2003–2006
|{{flagu|Bulgaria}}
|-
|4
|Rustan Jenalinov
|2006–2009
|{{flagu|Kazakhstan}}
|-
|5
|[[Zhantoro Satybaldiyev]]
|2009–2011
|{{flagu|Kyrgyzstan}}
|-
|6
|Eduard Biriucov
|2011–2014
|{{flagu|Moldova}}
|-
|7
|Mircea Ciopraga
|2015–present
|{{flagu|Romania}}
|<ref>[http://abc.az/eng/news_02_02_2015_86415.html "Mircea Ciopraga elected as TRACECA Secretary General for two-term period"], abc.az, 2 February 2015, accessed 30 January 2017</ref>
|}

==Projects==
TRACECA has five working groups: maritime transport, aviation, road and rail, transport security, and transport infrastructure. Amongst its specific projects was the creation of a new bridge to replace and protect the heritage bridge at [[Krasny Most (border)|Krasny Most]], between Georgia and Azerbaijan.<ref>[http://armenpress.am/eng/news/699931/evropayi-ev-kovkasi-transporti-harcerov-pordzagetnery-qnnarkum.html "European and Caucasian transport specialists discuss the prospects of cooperation"], Armenpress, 19 November 2012, accessed 30 January 2017</ref>

==See also==
*[[Baku Initiative]]
*[[Euronest Parliamentary Assembly]]

==External links==
* [http://www.traceca-org.org/ Official site]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Traceca}}
[[Category:Transport and the European Union]]
[[Category:Transport in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Transport in Azerbaijan]]
[[Category:Transport in Armenia]]
[[Category:Transport in Iran]]
[[Category:Transport in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Transport in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Transport in Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Transport in Moldova]]
[[Category:Transport in Tajikistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Romania]]
[[Category:Transport in Turkey]]
[[Category:Transport in Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Transport in Ukraine]]
[[Category:European Commission projects]]