I can’t recognize one by one, but there are so many big VIPs who joined this panel and I really appreciate your strong commitment and I’m very happy to join you today.

I know that you had already started your meeting this afternoon and I really count on your strong support and engagement to use your political influence and whatever influence and power you may have to make these roads much safer for many people and saving unnecessary deaths on the roads. I really count on your strong support.

As I know, you are meeting as Brazil prepares to host the Second Global High Level Conference on Road Safety, supported by the World Health Organization next week. Despite improvements in road safety, we still face some startling numbers.

Road traffic accidents kill an estimated 1.25 million people each year -- 90 per cent of them in middle and low income countries.

Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death amongst young people aged between 15 and 29 years old.

I therefore welcome efforts to meet our goal of halving road traffic deaths by 2020. We have five years to go.

These are aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to make this a world where all people can live with dignity. These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are people-centered, so we have to save unnecessary deaths. They [people] can enjoy their lives if we pay small attention.  This can be done without much investment.

To strengthen this work, as you know, earlier this year, I appointed Mr. Jean Todt, world known person, currently the President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), as my Special Envoy for Road Safety.
I have appointed many special envoys.  Mostly, these envoys were appointed easily.  But for him, it was a little bit difficult and it took time.
I interviewed many candidates.  One candidate was an Air Force Jet Fighter.  I was afraid that he would drive maybe 1,000 miles an hour, then I gave him up. He was like a radical pilot or a Formula 1 (F1) driver.  I thought he was also driving too fast. 

There were some concerns about how to really try to regulate road safety by reducing speed. Then, could he be a good candidate?
Then I looked at another person, Michelle Yeoh. I found that while she is a very active and dynamic actress, she was driving too slowly. When you drive too slowly, you cause a traffic jam, then you may have a bumpy ride, so she was out.

I maybe tried to test him [Jean Todt] many times. But, then….then he told me that I drive slowly.

The person who has been driving fast knows how not to drive fast, so I think he is a good person and I think I made a good choice. That’s why I think you have all agreed to his visions and that’s why you are supporting my choice as the Special Envoy for Road Safety of Mr. Jean Todt.

And I thank you very much for joining this Panel.

He has worked tirelessly to generate positive momentum on these issues and to address the horrific consequences of road crashes.

I hope that continued cooperation, including with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, led by Christian Friis Bach, will lead to more political support for strengthening global road safety. I look to members of the High Level Panel to help promote the Global Plan of Action for Road Safety, as well as the establishment of a UN Fund for Road Safety.

Despite the fact that the number of road deaths is stabilizing, far too many lives, especially young ones, are being lost needlessly each year. We must work together to ensure that our road networks are safe for all.

Thank you very much for your commitment.

I wish you a successful High Level Panel meeting.

Thank you.