NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS BY PAULINA KUBIAK GREER,
SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT ABDULLA SHAHID
United Nations Headquarters, New York
ROAD SAFETY PRESS STAKEOUT
Today is the start of the first ever High-level General Assembly meeting on Improving Road Security.
Just a short time ago, the President of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, spoke at the press stakeout.
He took the microphone after the General Assembly adopted by consensus a political declaration on road safety.
President Shahid called the political declaration a quote “milestone” for addressing global road safety and saving lives on streets.
The political declaration recognizes that road safety is an urgent development priority, a major public health problem, and a social equity issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
It also recognizes that, while road safety is primarily a responsibility of Governments to address, it is also a shared responsibility among all of us.
President Shahid was joined at the stakeout by the Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, and WHO Director-General’s Representative Stewart Simonson.
TOMORROW
If you missed the stakeout but have questions, there will be a press conference tomorrow, in this room, at 11AM ET . The focus will be on the UN Road Safety Fund.
The President of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid will attend. Alongside UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova and Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt.
Due to the press conference, I will not brief tomorrow.
ROAD SAFETY OPENING
Earlier today, President Shahid addressed the opening of the high-level meeting.
He laid out five key messages.
First, no deaths on our streets are acceptable.
He said road safety falls under the umbrella of the universal right to health – a fundamental right of every human being, wherever they are and whatever the circumstances.
Second, the Global Plan is key to reducing deaths and boosting development.
This refers to the Global Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade of Road Safety, which started last year.
The Plan makes the best use of our investments in safe transport systems, and aims to halve preventable deaths by 2030.
Third, the ongoing High-Level Meeting could mark a critical juncture to address the issue of global road safety. Among his recommendations, President Shahid urges endorsement and urgent action of the Global Plan.
Fourth, transformative leadership and good governance are key.
President Shahid notes that road safety must be a political priority at the highest levels of government.
Fifth, and finally, everyone has a role to play.
That means including young people who are disproportionately affected by road safety incidents. And ensuring that women’s voices and perspectives are heard in designing policies that provide safe, inclusive and secure mobility.
The President delivered these remarks after marking a moment of silence for all of those who were killed or seriously injured on roads all over the world.
Related, there is a floral bouquet displayed in the General Assembly lobby, in memory of road crash victims. The flowers will be available until Friday evening.
RECORDED MESSAGES
In terms of what else is on the President’s schedule for today… he has a recorded message to the Baku Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network. The theme is “Boosting the role of national parliaments in promoting global peace and sustainable development.”
Let me know please if anyone is interested in that text.
and President Shahid also has a recorded message to the Conference on Promoting Peace, Harmony, Unity and Diversity among the Muslim ulama across the world.
