Why Africa must motorize in a green and safer way

As Africa strives towards enhancing its mobility, the importance of safety remains at the forefront of the agenda. In an exclusive interview with CNBC Africa, Said Dahdah, the Head of Global Road Safety Facility at the World Bank, highlighted the critical link between decarbonization and road safety. Dahdah emphasized the challenge of decarbonizing the transport sector while ensuring safety, indicating that the two aspects are inherently intertwined. He underscored the pivotal role of the Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF), a multi-donor trust fund established in 2006 by the World Bank, in providing capacity-building and technical assistance to developing nations to bolster their road safety initiatives. Over the years, the GRSF has expanded its focus beyond safer roads and speed management to include areas like safer and cleaner vehicles, thereby enhancing the intersection between decarbonization and road safety. Moreover, the facility has been actively addressing the health implications and local air pollution associated with road safety, portraying a comprehensive approach towards tackling the multi-sectoral issue. Dahdah elucidated that with Africa experiencing a surge in motorization rates, it's imperative to ensure a green and safe transition to prevent a rise in road fatalities. Despite facing challenges like high fatality rates and rapid motorization trends, Dahdah expressed optimism in leveraging insights from other regions to proactively address road safety concerns as Africa gears up for increased motorization. The urgency for a coordinated effort to align road safety with sustainability goals was underscored, with Dahdah calling for engagement from global leaders and private sector stakeholders to collaborate with the GRSF in enhancing road safety practices and promoting green mobility.