Marrakech, 19 February 2025 – The 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety took place in Marrakech, Morocco, from February 18 to 20, 2025. Hosted by the Government of Morocco and the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the European Union, African Development Bank, World Bank Group, and other UN agencies, the conference brings together global leaders and experts committed to accelerating action towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the ambitious target of halving global road deaths by 2030.
Themed ‘Commit to Life,’ the conference serves as a crucial platform to reflect on the progress made and chart the course for the remaining decade of action. The focus is on generating increased support for a new vision of safe, cleaner, and more sustainable mobility for all. While there has been notable progress in many African countries, scaling up efforts across the continent is required to meet this critical goal.
African Road Safety: A Call for Action
In her remarks during the Focus on Africa High-Level Plenary, H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, called for African nations to accelerate the ratification of the Road Safety Charter, a key instrument for harmonizing national policies, encouraging cross-border cooperation, and ensuring a systematic approach to road safety.
Adopted in 2016, the Charter is currently ratified by 13 African countries, with just two additional ratifications needed to achieve full regional commitment. Dr. Abou-Zeid stressed that road safety should not be an afterthought but must be an integral part of the planning and design stages of transport infrastructure projects.
Minister of Transports and Logistics of Ethiopia and Chair of the AU Specialised Technical Committee on Transport and Energy Dr. Alemu Sime advocated for evidence-based investments in road safety, including post-crash care and infrastructure improvements as urbanization and vehicle ownership rise. The expressed optimism that the Road Safety Ministerial conference would yield tangible outcomes to improve road safety.
Jean Todt, UN special envoy for road safety, stressed that improving road safety is essential for both public health and sustainable development. He urged ministers to accelerate the African Action Plan and implement the UN Road Safety Conventions and African Road Safety Charter. By incorporating safety from the outset, the Commissioner underscored, Africa has an opportunity to develop a road network that not only meets social and economic needs but also supports a united and integrated continent one that is safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive for all road users.
Dr. Abou-Zeid acknowledged the African Road Safety Observatory (ARSO), hosted by the AUC, for its critical role in generating road safety data and informing policies, including the African Action Plan. She commended the role of partners, including the European Union’s support in strengthening ARSO’s technical secretariat, and called for continued collaboration to advance the Charter’s objectives.
On the occasion, the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco recognized Commissioner Abou-Zeid for her contributions to improving road safety across Africa. Her leadership has been pivotal in driving regional efforts to reduce fatalities and foster collaboration.
Challenges and Innovations in Road Safety
Ministers at the Focus on Africa session acknowledged that while some progress has been made, Africa still faces significant challenges in road safety, with 250,000 lives lost in 2021 alone. This stark figure underscores the need for further efforts to improve road safety across the continent. However, there is optimism, as the transport sector undergoes a transformation, with the adoption of smart traffic management systems, AI, and traffic innovations that prioritize safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
The conference allowed African road safety agencies, regional organizations, academia, and stakeholders to share experiences and discuss solutions for addressing key road safety challenges. ARSO/AUC, in collaboration with partners organized a pre-event roundtable to examine the rising fatalities and explore how lead agencies can collectively reduce them. Road Safety Lead Agencies (RSLAs) from countries like Benin, Cameroon, Kenya, and Uganda presented their initiatives during the session to harmonise and build synergy.
Another pre-event roundtable focused on advancing road safety in Africa, where ministers and policymakers discussed common positions for the Marrakech Declaration to support efforts to reduce road crashes. Following this, African ministers presented a unified stance at the 4th global ministerial conference and committed to collaborating with ARSO/AUC to address road safety challenges through 2030.
Marrakech Declaration: A Roadmap for the Future
The Marrakech Declaration outlined common challenges and priorities for Africa, calling for accelerated road safety financing, action, and reporting. It also highlighted the importance of monitoring evolving technologies, improving road safety data collection, and supporting low-income countries in adapting road infrastructure and setting safe speed limits.
In support of the Marrakech Declaration, the AUC pledged to partner with governments, the private sector, and NGOs to eliminate high-risk roads across Africa. Global leaders from over 100 countries endorsed the 'Marrakech Declaration on Global Road Safety,' urging nations to make road safety a political priority and halve global road deaths by 2030.
About the African Union Road Safety Charter: The African Union Road Safety Charter, adopted by the AU Summit in 2016, aims to establish a comprehensive framework for improving road safety across the continent. To date, 13 Member States have ratified the Charter. 15 Member States must deposit their instruments of ratification for the charter to come into full effect. The African Union calls on all its Member States to ratify the Charter to enable its full implementation and strengthen collective efforts to reduce road fatalities across Africa.
Countries that have ratified the African Road Safety Charter include Benin, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia.
For further information please contact:
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Ms. Esther Azaa Tankou | Head, Media and Information Division, Communication Adviser, Permanent Observer Mission of the AU to the UN | Information and Communications Directorate | E-mail: yamboue@africa-uinon.org , Tel: +251911361185 / +1 3478127195 (WhatsApp)
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Janet Faith Adhiambo Ochieng | Communications Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: OchiengJ@africa-union.org
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Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org
Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I
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