It is with great enthusiasm that I take the role of Secretary General to serve member countries and the global road community. Having dedicated more than 20 years to PIARC General Secretariat, I am profoundly convinced of the high value that our organization provides by offering the world’s leading forum for knowledge exchange on road infrastructure and road transport.

The 17th World Road Winter Service, Resilience and Decarbonisation Congress, held from March 10-13 in Chambery, France, exemplified the importance of PIARC to member countries and the global road community. The Congress mobilized a record of 18 PIARC Technical Committees and attracted a record number for a winter congress of more than 430 abstracts from 65 countries, confirming PIARC’s strategy to make the Winter Congress relevant to all our member countries, whether or not they experience snow and ice on their roads.

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to this Congress, the France Ministry of Transport, the National Committee IDRRIM-PIARC France, the city of Chambery, PIARC governing and technical bodies, and all of you who joined the Congress making it the most attended Winter Road Congress in PIARC’s history with over 2000 participants. The dedication and hard work of everyone has set a high standard for future editions. 

Next Winter World Road Congress will come sooner than expected. A regular two-year cycle between the World Road Congress and Winter World Road Congress will now be established. In October-November 2029 we will be celebrating the 18th Winter World Road Congress. Call for candidacies will be launched this April 2026. I look forward to seeing which country will step forward to showcase its achievements, expertise, and vision for the future of the road sector.