UN is holding the first meeting on global road safety

On June 30 and July 1, the first high-level meeting of the UN on global road safety, convened by the President of the UN General Assembly Abdullah Shahid, is being held in New York.

"Sustainable development is impossible without enhancing safety on world roads," said Olga Algayerova, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe. Despite the measures being taken, the situation in this field is exacerbating in the world.

Last year, the 2021-2030 global ten-year road safety action plan (PDF) was adopted, which aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in accidents by 50% by 2030. "Today we are far from this indicator," reported Olga Algayerova.

She called on UN member states to implement political and financial commitments to road safety, starting with compliance with minimum UN safety standards for all vehicles, new and used.

"Road safety should be included in national strategies, from urban planning to education, and there should be adequate funding in national budgets," stressed the UNECE Executive Secretary.

The meeting is expected to result in the adoption of a political declaration stressing that road safety is "an urgent development priority, a serious public health issue, and a matter of social justice" (from the draft document).