Heads of national road safety agencies and officials from more than 80 countries will gather in Marrakech, Morocco, next week to advance global efforts in reducing road fatalities. The high-level meeting will take place on the eve of the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, aiming to strengthen national strategies and action plans, said a press statement.
The event, co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Road Safety Facility at the World Bank, will bring together over 110 officials on 17 February. Discussions will focus on the opportunities and challenges in achieving the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 goal of halving road deaths worldwide.
“Empowering heads of road safety agencies is key to helping countries reduce road deaths and apply proven solutions. Lead road safety agencies drive national road safety strategies and coordinate across government. The network is here to help them advance that important work,” said Matts-Åke Belin, WHO’s global lead on the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Established after the 2022 United Nations High-Level Political Declaration on Global Road Safety, the WHO-hosted network supports governments in strengthening policies and coordination efforts to ensure safer mobility. The initiative fosters collaboration, provides technical assistance, and monitors progress in line with the Global Plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
WHO and the Global Road Safety Facility have also led capacity-building programs for road safety leaders, working with partners such as the Swedish Vision Zero Academy and the Indian Institute of Technology.
Governance in road safety will be a key theme at the ministerial conference. A dedicated session will bring together leading experts to explore how different organizational models and governance mechanisms can drive sustainable and results-oriented road safety outcomes.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
