| Speaking during an International Policy Forum, organised by the FIA Foundation and attended by senior UN and World Bank officials, Tutu said that road deaths and injuries are the "new health emergency for Africa". He called on governments to tackle the problem.
He said: "The human and economic cost is growing. I call on the leaders of the G8 to heed the request of African Transport and Health Ministers, to ensure that safety is at the heart of international road investment. Protecting the poorest and most vulnerable road users in our communities must be the first priority."
Tutu spoke passionately about the road safety problem in his own country, comparing it to the struggle against apartheid.
"South Africa has become a beautiful democracy but it wasn't so 30 years ago. It wasn't free. We said this is something that is going to change. If we could defeat such a ghastly and awful phenomenon then why can't we overcome this equally ghastly occurrence?"
The Nobel Peace Prize winner said he was also deeply worried about the situation across Africa. The continent has the highest road death rate per population in the world, and has so far only avoided a catastrophic explosion of road deaths because of relatively low motorisation and an under-developed road network.
Other speakers at the conference agreed that international efforts to foster African economic growth through massive new road building projects could actually make the situation worse, unless road safety is systematically included in policy making.
South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe issued a statement highlighting the problem in his own country. He said: “Road safety in our country is a high priority. We want to ensure that the roads are safe and that bread winners are not killed making the situation worse for poor families. Our Government is committed and supports all global road safety initiatives especially as they have such relevance for our country.”
Meanwhile, there is some concern that international efforts to tackle the problem have been limited. The G8 in 2005 approved an initial $1.2 billion for new roads in Africa, but only $20 million has been allocated to road safety measures, well below the World Bank’s own recommended guidelines.
David Njoroge, Member for Africa on the Commission for Global Road Safety, said he hopes to see some progress made by the end of the year.
He added: “This autumn in Tanzania the G8’s Infrastructure Consortium for Africa will bring together international donors and officials from the UN, African Development Bank and African governments to review progress in its road projects. This meeting must address road safety and ensure that the needs, wishes and safety of local communities are respected as the first priority”.
The Policy Forum, which took place on the penultimate day of FIA Conference Week also served to promote the Make Roads Safe campaign in Africa. Delegates and club members signed the Make Roads Safe petition calling for a UN Ministerial meeting to tackle road deaths.
FIA Conference Week is an annual forum for the FIA member clubs to meet together to exchange information and debate policies. The event hosts numerous commissions, which meet to discuss contemporary automotive issues such as road safety, mobility, the environment, road service technologies and travel and tourism.
To sign the Make Roads Safe petition, which will be delivered to the UN Secretary General in November, please visit www.makeroadsafe.org. |
