An important moment for global Road Safety in New York
Last week saw an important moment for global road safety. In New York, the UN General Assembly adopted a new resolution on ‘Improving Global Road Safety’ and announced the launch of a new UN Road Safety Trust Fund aimed at accelerating “progress in improving global road safety by bridging the gaps in the mobilization of resources for effective action at all levels”.
On behalf of the Secretariat of the Fund, UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova stated,
“The United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund will serve as a catalyst for much-needed progress towards the road safety targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. UNECE is honoured to host the Secretariat of the Trust Fund, and, as home to both the United Nations road safety conventions and the Secretariat of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, is committed to working with all stakeholders to multiply the impact of global action to improve road safety”.
EASST’s core sponsor, the FIA Foundation, has been the first organisation to donate to the new Fund. Saul Billingsley, Executive Director of the Foundation, said,
“The launch of this first ever United Nations Fund for global road safety is an important recognition that our collective efforts to tackle road safety must be scaled up. Governments have provided the mandate for action, but not yet the resources to deliver it. We urgently need a massive increase in funding, commensurate to the scale of the problem. With this $10 million pledge, the FIA Foundation is stepping up. Now we call on others to do the same!”
The General Assembly debate featured parliamentarians from three EASST countries, Russia, Moldova and Armenia. Each reported on the burden of unsafe roads in their countries and how they are tackling this public health crisis at a national level. Moldova’s Parliamentary Speaker, and EASST Road Safety Ambassador, Mr. Andrian Candu reminded us during his speech that,
“Road Safety is not merely a privilege of modernity, it is about saving lives daily and routinely”.
