Saudi Arabia: A high-income country with a population of 35.9 million. In 2021, the estimated rate per 100 000 population was 18.5 (WHO, 2023). Saudi Arabia has acceded to 1 of the 7 UN road safety legal instruments.
During the mission, the Special Envoy participated in the Seventh edition of the Future Investment Initiative and contributed to the “Connecting the world through sports” panel. This gave an opportunity to the Special Envoy to highlight the critical role of sports to enhance awareness on appropriate road safety behaviour and achieving social change in the context of the SDGs.
Furthermore, on the margins of the above, the Special Envoy met with the following officials to advocate for safer roads and explore future collaborations:
• Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saoud, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America;
• H.E. Dr. Nasir Aldawood, Deputy Minister of Interior, Saudi Arabia;
• H.E. Mr. Yousef Al-Bunyan, Minister of Education, Saudi Arabia;
• H.E. Mr. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport, Saudi Arabia;
• H.E. Mr. Fahd bin Abdulrahman bin Dahes Al-Jalajil, Minister of Health, Saudi Arabia;
• H.E. Ms. Jeanine Munyeshuli, Minister of State in charge of Public Investment and Resource Mobilization, Rwanda;
• Ms. Cathryn Chen, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MarketX;
• Mr. Mohamed El Zarkani, UN Resident Coordinator and UN Agencies Heads.
Lastly, the Special Envoy attended an event hosted by H.E. Mr. Ludovic Pouille, Ambassador of France to Saudi Arabia.