UNGA adopts resolution for reducing casualty from road accident

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on Monday, urging member states to take accelerated action to reduce deaths and injuries from traffic accidents worldwide by implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, reported Xinhua.

Acting without a vote, the UNGA adopted the resolution "Improving global road safety," by which it urged member states and relevant actors to accelerate and scale up efforts to implement the Global Plan, making road safety a political priority and ensuring its relevance in the broader sustainable development agenda.

The assembly invited member states that have not done so to "consider adopting comprehensive legislation on key risk factors," including the non-use of seat belts, child restraints and helmets, and driving under the influence. It encouraged countries to establish ministerial coordination mechanisms -- notably among the health, transport, education, infrastructure, interior and environment ministries -- to address cross-cutting issues.

The assembly welcomed Morocco's offer to host the fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety from Feb. 18-20, 2025.

"As we approach the halfway point of the Decade of Action, there is still a great deal to do to accelerate action," said the representative of Morocco as she introduced resolution.

She noted that every year, roughly 1.2 million people die because of a road accident, adding that for its part, Morocco has launched a new strategy for 2016-2026 and created the National Agency for Road Safety in 2018 to reduce such deaths.

Noting that the upcoming 2025 conference in Morocco will be "the first of its kind on the African continent," she said special attention will be given to Africa where road accident deaths increased by 15 percent from 2010 to 2021.