On 26 November 2020, the Special Envoy delivered a keynote speech at the opening session of Africa Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUM) online course, whose theme was “Transforming Informal Transport and Road Safety Post Pandemic in Africa”.
The initiative was supported by a number of African partners, including UN-Habitat, and aimed to discuss the issues, compare notes with some Asian countries as well as set an agenda for the post pandemic urban mobility and road development.
Throughout his remarks, the Special Envoy shared about the road safety challenges in Africa, such as the lack of data. Mr. Todt also referred to a few good examples of appropriate transport solutions: the National Non-Motorized Transport Strategy launched in 2020 in Ethiopia that promotes the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and the Bus Rapid Transit systems in Lagos and Dar es Salaam that continue to improve accessibility, road safety and commuter experience in the cities.
In conclusion, the Special Envoy highlighted the paramount importance to bring forward policy and investment decisions towards modern public transport, walking and cycling in cities in order to achieve relevant SDGs.
Click here for the final report of Africa SUM course.