The second annual Kofi Annan Road Safety Award event will be hosted by Marrakech on September 25-26, with the dual objectives of encouraging key stakeholders to devise innovative ideas to promote road safety on the African Continent, as well as recognizing the accomplishments observed to date in this arena, according to a release of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Morocco, Africa’s top country in road safety, designed and executed a national road safety plan from 2016 to 2017, and formed the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) in 2020, marking a watershed moment in the public relations campaign promoting safe driving.
“As a country, we are committed to making our roads safer, as demonstrated by the establishment in 2020 of the National Road Safety Agency,” said Morocco’s Minister of Transport Mohamed Abdeljalil.
The event is being organized by the Moroccan government, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Secretariat of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, and the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Despite having the world’s lowest levels of motorization, traffic accidents claim over 300,000 victims each year on the Continent. It has the world’s highest estimated road traffic fatality rate of 26.6 road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants.
Disturbingly, pedestrians account for 38 percent of all African road traffic deaths, while automobile passengers account for 43 percent.
The award will honor governments, the commercial sector, civil society groups, and individuals who have made remarkable contributions to African road safety.