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Doha – The 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety concluded Thursday in Marrakech with the adoption of a comprehensive declaration aimed at strengthening international commitment to safer roads.
The three-day event, held from February 18-20, brought together over 3,000 participants from more than 100 delegations, including 52 African countries.
Hosted by the Government of Morocco and the World Health Organization, with the theme of “Commit to Life,” the summit marked Morocco’s position as the first African and Arab country to host this global gathering.
“This declaration is the fruit of a collaborative effort, reflecting the voices and contributions of all stakeholders,” Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh said during Thursday’s closing session. “It’s not merely a declaration of intent, but a call to action, a roadmap for achieving significant progress in road safety worldwide.”
The Marrakech Declaration establishes concrete measures for accelerating the implementation of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030.
“The declaration urges member states and relevant actors to accelerate and intensify efforts to implement the global plan, making road safety a political priority and ensuring its relevance as a catalyst for the development agenda,” Kayouh stated.
“We have carefully integrated feedback received to ensure it truly represents everyone involved in road safety: governments, cities, civil society, academia, private sector, and most importantly, victims and their families, who remind us of the human cost behind each statistic and hold us accountable.”
Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, pointed out the importance of individual responsibility. “Governments have a role to play, but individual responsibility is equally crucial,” he argued. “Daily actions make the difference in road safety, such as wearing helmets, using seat belts, and avoiding drunk driving.”
Said Dahdah, Director of the World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility, asserted that “multilateral development banks plan to increase road safety funding to $10 billion over the next decade.” He affirmed readiness to expand funding if member states deem it necessary.
Strengthening international cooperation
Addressing Morocco’s role, Omar Hilale, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said on Wednesday: “Morocco is the first African and Arab country to host this major conclave, sending a signal of support to Africa, especially since nearly 25% of global accidents occur on the continent.”
He added that the declaration “is not an end in itself, but a step toward greater international mobilization for road safety as one of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The declaration encourages member states to establish interministerial coordination mechanisms between health, transport, education, infrastructure, interior, and environment ministries to address cross-cutting issues impacting road safety sectors.
The conference introduced significant initiatives, including the Mohammed VI International Road Safety Prize.
International Road Federation President Dimitris Mandalozis affirmed that “any action aimed at increasing public awareness of road safety importance and reducing accidents can only move in the right direction.”
Minister Kayouh announced a new safety measure: “Aware of the growing presence of two and three-wheeled vehicles on Moroccan roads, I commit to ensuring high-quality helmets complying with UN safety standards for all new buyers. Each purchase will include two certified helmets.”
A worldwide concern
WHO’s latest report reveals concerning statistics about the Decade of Action’s progress. Only six countries have legal frameworks fully aligned with WHO best practices on risk factors, while 140 countries have laws addressing at least one risk factor.
Ten countries achieved the first decade’s goals by reducing deaths by 50%, while 35 countries achieved reductions between 30% and 49% from 2010 to 2021. Morocco recorded a 13% reduction during this period.
The declaration calls for specific actions. “Financial actors such as banks, investors, insurance companies, and auditors must explicitly require entities to actively address road safety in their value chains as a prerequisite for financial participation at reasonable financing rates,” the document states.
On the horizon, Morocco will convene a meeting in 2026 to assess progress. “This follow-up will measure how far the international community has advanced in adopting the Marrakech Declaration,” Hilale said.
For historical context, this fourth edition follows previous conferences in Moscow (2009), Brasilia (2015), and Stockholm (2020). The WHO has reported a slight decrease in annual road accident deaths from 1.35 million to 1.2 million, representing a 5% reduction in deaths and a 16% reduction in deaths per 100,000 population between 2010 and 2021.
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