Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

1 July 2022

Excellencies, friends,

That concludes a very successful High-Level Meeting on this very important topic. 

As our discussions have made abundantly clear, road safety is a complex and cross-cutting issue, that is interlinked with all of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

My friends,

We have made much progress in the past 2 days. 

We adopted a milestone political declaration that collectively reaffirms the importance of improving global road safety, and highlights our shared responsibility at all levels, while acknowledging the primary responsibility of governments. 

We committed to implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, with the aim of reducing road traffic deaths by at least 50 per cent by 2030.

We resolved to strengthen political will and promote cooperation with all stakeholders, as we strive to implement a comprehensive approach to road safety. One based on science, evidence, and best practices, and that addresses risk factors that undermine road safety. 

We vowed to integrate a gender perspective into all policies and actions relevant to road safety plans. 

And we have committed to ensuring adequate and predictable financing to sustain our efforts in the long-term. 

I commend member states and stakeholders, including representatives from civil society, academia, the private sector, and the UN system, for their active involvement. 

I am encouraged by your inspiring and powerful words, and by your innovative and comprehensive suggestions. 

Member States have highlighted the importance of transport connectivity, and the need for  a whole of government approach, with the engagement of all stakeholders. 

A number of countries have also set an example by developing plans and establishing national targets. I hope many other countries follow suit. 

While the global plan presents a broad set of actions that need to be taken, its implementation should be contextualized to meet the needs of local communities. They should prioritize the safety of especially vulnerable  road-users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists.  

My friends, 

At one of the panel discussions, we heard from a mother who lost her son, when he was killed along with 22 other passengers in a deadly crash caused by poor road infrastructure and human misbehaviour. On road safety, she reminded us — we are all in the same bus.

I heard the strong call that we can never compromise on road safety standards. Not for economic benefit, nor for any other reason.

I heard the call from our youth: to not merely make decisions for young people, but with young people. 

These voices are what we must bring into our political process.

These initiatives will help us make great progress in terms of upgrading our transportation infrastructure, in a manner that benefits our communities and keeps them safer. 

My friends,

Before closing, I would like to thank my Chef-de-Cabinet, Ambassador Nagaraj Kakanur, for his hard work in leading the informal consultations which ensured that we have an ambitious political declaration that has been agreed to by one and all. 

And I wish to thank the entire OPGA team, for their efforts in making this High Level Meeting on Road-Safety a resounding success. 

We will reconvene here at a high-level meeting on improving global road safety in 2026, to undertake a comprehensive midterm review of the implementation of the present political declaration and Global Plan.

In the meanwhile let us get to work to make our roads, our cities, and our communities safer. 

Together, we can achieve these goals. Together, we can ensure road-safety. 

Thank you.