AZTA (Azerbaijan Tunnelling Association)

Azerbaijan Tunnelling Association was created in 1992 just after the independence of the Azerbaijan and became the 59th member nation of ITA. The AzTA includes 14 collective members. The objectives are :

  • Encouraging and simulating technical resources associated with the underground engineering theme,
  • Contributing to promoting the acquisition of knowledge in the many related fields(technical, scientific, standards, industrial, economic, legal, administrative and social),
  • Close cooperation with ITA and its national committees, including partnership organizations, and forging contacts with public and private bodies(consulting engineers, universities, research laboratories, contractors) for exchanging information concerning underground structures.
  • The International Baku Congress ”Tunneling and Underground Infrastructure in Urban Areas” was first event organized by AzTA.

Founded in 1974 by the initiative of nineteen Nations, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) which aims are:

To encourage the use of the subsurface for the benefit of public, environment and sustainable development and to promote advances in planning, design, construction, maintenance and safety of tunnels and underground space, by bringing together information thereon and by studying questions related thereto.

Since then, ITA has considerably developed. Any independent nation, may through the medium of a National Organization become an ITA “Member Nation”. Presently, ITA gathers 55 Member Nations.

Corporations and individuals (as far as they fulfill the conditions) can participate in the activities of the Association by becoming an “Affiliate member”. ITA gathers 280 Corporate or Individual Affiliate Members.

The General Assembly, which met annually, resolves all questions concerning the organization and conducts of the affairs of the Association; it shall approve the budget of receipts and expenditure, and appoint and organize all Committees of the Association; it shall decide on the admission of new adhering national Organization and of the new affiliate member.

The General Assembly is host by a Member Nation at the occasion of the yearly World Tunnel Congress.