ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – 17 NOVEMBER 2025: The African Union (AU), in partnership with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and key development partners, commemorated the Africa Road Safety Day and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) at the historic Adwa Victory Memorial.
The observance shone a critical light on the continent's disproportionate burden of the global road safety crisis. Africa accounts for nearly 25% of worldwide road fatalities, while simultaneously resulting in an estimated 2% annual loss of GDP across Member States.
The event, held under the theme "Safe Roads, Save Lives: Strengthening commitment for Safer Roads in Africa," brought together high-level leaders, survivors, victims’ families, and technical partners to move from remembrance to concrete corrective action.
H.E. Lerato D. Mataboge, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy delivered the keynote address, outlining the scale of road safety challenges on the continent. She highlighted the economic and social impact, noting, “Every year, Africa loses nearly 250,000 lives to road crashes... We hold only 4% of the world’s vehicles yet suffer nearly a quarter of global road deaths. This is therefore not only a transport issue. It is a public health, economic, and social development concern." The Commissioner underscored the need for strengthened leadership and coordinated action across Member States.
"Success is achievable only through political will and policy implementation. I urge all Member States to accelerate the implementation of the African Road Safety Action Plan (2021–2030) and to ratify, domesticate, and implement the African Road Safety Charter without delay. This Charter provides a unified continental framework to establish harmonised laws, share data, and support joint enforcement."
Acknowledging national efforts, Commissioner Mataboge referenced recent progress in Ethiopia: "I want to commend the Government of Ethiopia for their political commitment, which has contributed to a reported 37% reduction in road traffic crashes in the country. This demonstrates that sustained action leads to measurable results."
H.E. Dr. Alemu Sime, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics and Chair of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Transport and Energy, underscored the necessary shift from mourning to policy implementation.
"As we remember the victims of road crashes, let us honor their memory not only with words but with concrete corrective actions. Let us commit to safer roads, better transport systems, and a future where mobility in Africa no longer comes at the cost of life."
The commemoration underscored the vital need for a holistic, Safe System approach. Speaking on behalf of the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of UNECA, Claver Gatete, Director Robert Lisinge emphasized that while the day is essential for compassion and consoling the bereaved, it must fundamentally be about prevention. “We must act, and all dedicate ourselves to ending this crisis on our roads and creating a safer transportation system so that more families do not have to share this grief.”
The program was anchored by powerful symbolic and policy-focused activities, including the Walk to Remember to honour lives lost, impactful testimonies from a Victims' Representative, and a High-Level Panel Discussion on "Shared Responsibility for Safer Roads in Africa". The day culminated with dignitaries signing the “Commitment Wall for Road Safety,” symbolizing an institutional vow to accelerate efforts under the African Road Safety Action Plan.
The African Union reaffirms its commitment to the continental goal of reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. Through unified political will and the full adoption of the African Road Safety Charter, the AU is dedicated to advancing safer mobility systems and ensuring a more resilient future for all Africans.
ABOUT THE AFRICAN ROAD SAFETY CHARTER:
The African Road Safety Charter is a key legal instrument adopted by the African Union Heads of States in 2016 to provide a unified political and legal framework for road safety across the continent. It establishes a commitment for Member States to implement harmonized national laws, enforce safety standards, develop comprehensive data management systems, establish sustainable financing mechanisms of road safety interventions and promote cross-border collaboration. The Charter is thus crucial for aligning national efforts with the Safe System Approach and accelerating progress towards the 2030 fatality-reduction target. Its ratification and domestication constitute critical measures for establishing a continent-wide framework to prevent and mitigate road traffic crashes and injuries.
ABOUT THE AFRICAN ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN (2021-2030)
The African Road Safety Action Plan (2021-2030) is the continental strategic framework designed to guide AU Member States in addressing road safety. Overall, the plan aims to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030 through advancing a multi-sectoral road safety management, Safer Road Infrastructures, Safer Vehicles, Safer Road Users, and improved Post-Crash Response. It encourages Member States to mainstream road safety in their respective development plans and strengthen the African Road Safety Observatory (AfRSO) to generate reliable, harmonised continental road safety data (miniAfRSO based data), enabling evidence-based decision-making and comparative analysis of interventions and progress across AU Member States.
For Media Inquiries:
1. Ms. Bezayit Eyoel | Information Analyst | Department of Infrastructure and Energy| African Union Commission| E-mail: BezayitE@africanunion.org|
2. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), African Union Commission | E-mail: GamalK@africanunion.org
