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One down and four to go. The International Union of Railways (UIC) recently established a Middle East region.

As part of a new governance structure, the union will establish separate Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East and the Americas regions. Each of the five units will be governed by a regional support body and charged with promoting the development of regional railway projects.

As of Jan. 1, 2007, the “UIC Regional Group of Directors General of Middle East Railways” will be chaired by S. Karaman, who serves as chairman and general director of the Turkish Railways. The Middle East region will be headquartered in Tehran, Iran, where the first regional assembly will be held in April 2007.

“Middle East railways are undergoing a major railway development plan and the work of the UIC regional assembly will focus strongly on efficient development of the interconnection of the railway network in the region,” UIC officials said in a prepared statement.