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Excellencies,

Distinguished Colleagues,

I thank Mr. Jean Todt, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, for inviting me to share a few thoughts.

Today’s meeting is both timely and essential as we reflect on the progress of the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) and set the stage for the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in February next year.

Road safety remains a critical and pressing challenge, especially for the 1.4 billion people in the 92 most vulnerable countries that my Office supports - Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Th statistics are stark and sobering and demand urgent action.

A staggering 93 per cent of global road fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries, despite hosting 60% of the world’s vehicles.

In LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, the median death rate from road traffic injuries is 16.4 per 100,000 people - far exceeding the global average.

Two-thirds of the 50 countries with the highest road traffic injury rates are LDCs, LLDCs or SIDS.

Economically, the impact is severe, with road crashes consuming 3% of GDP in the most affected nations.

Excellencies,

Addressing road safety is not just a health or infrastructure issue, it is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

And the three dedicated programmes of action for these vulnerable groups of countries have recognized this critical linkage.

The Doha Programme of Action for LDCs, targets universal access to safe, affordable, and sustainable transport systems by 2030, prioritizing public transport.

The Antigua and Barbuda Action Agenda for SIDS commits to developing transportation infrastructure that is sound, safe, climate-resilient, and affordable.

The New Programme of Action for LLDCs prioritizes transit, transport, and connectivity, with a specific focus on upgrading and maintaining safe transport infrastructure.

While significant progress has been made in improving road infrastructure, much more remains to be done.

Allow me to highlight some specific priorities in this regard:

First, we must prioritize investments in both physical and soft infrastructure.

This includes building not just roads, but also essential features like sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and safe crossings.

And it is equally important to ensure complementary efforts for maintenance, road safety audits and assessments, and adherence to high design standards, and monitoring.

Second, targeted efforts are needed to strengthen road safety measures.

This involves bolstering the capacity of road agencies to monitor conditions; establishing dedicated authorities for road construction and maintenance; and enforcing harmonized technical standards.

Emergency management systems for post-crash care and regulating the quality and safety of used vehicles are equally vital.

Third, safe and sustainable public transport must be prioritized.

Improving public transport helps provide access to trade, jobs, markets, education, health care and other services that contribute to economic growth and quality of life.

Fourth, especially for LLDCs, there is an urgent need to address the low density and poor quality of road networks.

Investments in road infrastructure should be tailored in a way to also consider road safety issues, which is crucial to achieving  SDG target 3.6, which aims to halve road fatalities by 2030.

The New Programme of Action for LLDCs includes establishing an Infrastructure Investment Financing Facility to address these gaps.

Finally, reliable data is the backbone of effective policymaking, infrastructure planning, and sharing best practices.

Investments in statistical capacities are a core pillar of the SDGs and will enhance our ability to identify challenges and measure progress effectively.

Excellencies,

Road safety is a shared responsibility and the goal is clear – the goal to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030.

Achieving this ambition in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS is integral to realizing  the SDGs.

As we prepare for the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, let us commit to bold and collective actions. Together, we can pave the way for safer and a future where no life is lost needlessly to preventable road crashes. And we will continue to keep that high on our agenda for the LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS.

I thank you.