Skip to main content

Special Envoy Addresses World Bank and Regional Development Banks to Improve Global Road Safety

World Bank Sustainable Mobility Panel, Washington DC
 
On 12 October, the Special Envoy took part in a moderated discussion on transport and mobility and their role in implementing the 2030 Agenda. The focus was around the role of the World Bank in furthering sustainable mobility as part of the SDGs, the importance of the potential UN Road Safety Fund to help scale up global road safety efforts, and advocacy towards a voluntary agreement among vehicle manufacturers for minimum vehicle safety standards. 
 
The following panel members participated in a moderated discussion:
 
o Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Chief Executive Officer, World Bank  
 
o Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation of Egypt
 
o Mr. Raj Rao, Chief Executive Officer, Ford Smart Mobility
 
o Ms. Michelle Yeoh, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador
Regional Development Banks Meeting, Washington DC

 

The Special Envoy was invited to attend the Regional Development Banks (RDBs) meeting, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and chaired by the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). In addition to IADB and EBRD, the African Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank also attended the meeting. The Special Envoy then shared about the establishment of a potential UN Road Safety Fund, currently being considered by the Secretary-General, and in particular, the critical role the RDBs can play to help launch its operations, considering their existing pipeline of projects requiring road safety components and their demonstrated implementation capacity. A possibility of a joint RDB statement, signed by the World Bank and in support of the establishment of the UN Road Safety Fund was discussed and will be further explored. 
Meeting with Mr. Hugo Sarmiento, Chief Financial Officer and Ms. Isabella Grisanti, Executive for Financial Policies and International Issues, Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
 
The Special Envoy met with CAF representatives and outlined the terms of his mandate, as well as provided an overview of his efforts to improve road safety. In 2010, the CAF joined the common “Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Statement on Cooperation on Road Safety” issued in 2009, and since then has actively followed the activities of the MDBs Technical Working Group on Road Safety. The Special Envoy shared about the initiative underway to establish a new UN Road Safety Fund and the potential role of development banks.