30 May 2024
The UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) is pleased to announce that Qatar has joined its global partnership in the fight to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries globally.
Since 2018, the Fund has been working to help halve road deaths and injuries in low- and middle-income countries, where over 92% of the fatal crashes occur each year.
By joining the Fund, Qatar has become part of a global network of communities, civil society, governments, companies and UN agencies that are addressing critical gaps in national road safety systems.
The UNRSF mobilizes financing from private, public and individual donors channeling resources to high-impact, scalable and sustainable road safety projects worldwide. In operation in 88 countries across 5 regions, assistance is already going to support better urban planning for school zones, low emission non-motorized transport, speed management and cleaner safer used vehicle standards.
Qatar’s pledge marks the first commitment since the launch of the Road to Morocco High-Level Pledging Forum during the ITF Summit in Leipzig, Germany, on May 23.
“This generous donation from the State of Qatar will support the UN Road Safety Fund’s unique mandate to boost government efforts to achieve global road safety targets. UNECE, along with other UNRSF partners, urge all stakeholders to do the same,” said Tatiana Molcean, UNECE Executive Secretary.
“I welcome Qatar’s donation as the first pledge towards the UNRSF High-Level Pledging Forum, which I will co-chair with the Kingdom of Morocco during the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in February 2025. Together, let’s replenish the UN Road Safety Fund and build a safer future on our roads,” noted Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety.
“The Kingdom of Morocco recognizes the critical role of road safety financing at all levels – global, national, and local. The State of Qatar’s contribution to the UNRSF is a welcome show of solidarity, and together, with continued investment, we can collectively unlock the resources needed to bridge the funding gap and achieve safer roads for all,” said Benacer Boulaajoul, Director General of the National Road Safety Agency of Morocco.
“The State of Qatar is proud to invest in achieving global road safety targets through the UN Road Safety Fund. By supporting the UNRSF, we are investing in a safer future for all road users in the State of Qatar and around the world,” noted Hend Al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Source – UNECE