From 21-24 February 2023, the Eighty-fifth session of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC) by the ECE took place in Geneva. On its margins, the Special Envoy delivered remarks at the Forum on Road Safety. This was an opportunity to encourage stakeholders to act quickly to implement international regulations for safe and sustainable inland transport systems. The Special Envoy spoke about the crises we face in the low- to middle-income countries, which still represent 93 percent of road crash fatalities and injuries. Africa continues to lead the way with car occupants making up 29 percent of all deaths. Up to 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in some of the countries in Africa come from traffic congestion. One of the biggest challenges is to change the mindset amongst road users, vehicle manufacturers and road transport operators. The Special Envoy stated that only by altering their attitudes the trends can be reversed and the dynamics of worsening road safety performance addressed. In conclusion, the Special Envoy urged to make road safety one of those areas, even in climate discussions, where the people of the future will see the current period as a revolution to our approach to safe mobility and sustainability. All stakeholders have a role to spread the message that this global pandemic not only must be, but above all, can be eradicated.
Additionally, the Special Envoy met with the following Government officials:
• H.E. Mr. Razak Muhaibes Al-Saadawi, Minister of Transport of Iraq;
• H.E. Mr. Felix Tapiwa Mhona, Minister of Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development of Zimbabwe;
• H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Qatar. On this occasion, the Minister handed over to the Special Envoy an official letter confirming the country’s willingness to become a donor to the UNRSF. This follows several relevant discussions between the Special Envoy and the Government throughout the past few years.