He recognizes that meeting the transportation needs of the future will require contributions from us all. Certainly, we know that the demand for transportation services is increasing with each passing day. Not only ministers and diplomats, but also businesspeople, students, tourists and just plain travelers are on the go more and more often. Trade is expanding rapidly and serving as a vital engine of growth. A rising percentage of an enlarging economic pie is being generated by the movement of merchandise and services across borders.
Transportation is a vital building block of the new economy.
And there is no limit to where this will lead, provided we make the right investments, plan ahead, and work together well. To succeed, we must pool our diplomatic and transportation talents to develop rules of the road, sea and sky that are broadly agreed and fairly enforced. And we must uphold the international standards we have worked so hard to construct. These standards improve our quality of life. They also generate the commercial certainty upon which global investment decisions and job creation depend.