The FIA Foundation has co-sponsored a two day workshop on the “Implementation of Good Practices in Road Traffic Safety” held in Muscat, Oman on November 28-29th. Held under the auspices of the country’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Issa al Harthy, the workshop was organised by the UN Regional Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) which includes 13 nations from the Middle East. The workshop, attended by senior transport ministry officials and road safety experts from all 13 ESCWA nations, explored examples of good practice in areas such as data collection, road safety plans and behavioural campaigns to promote seat belt use.
Dr Waheed al Karusi, Chief of Orthopaedics in Oman, highlighted the worsening trend of road traffic accidents worldwide. “These were not accidents”, he stressed, “but avoidable crashes that can be prevented if the right policies are put in place”. Bassam Anani of UN ESCWA provided an overview of the road safety situation in the Middle East which like other parts of Asia is deteriorating as levels of motorisation rapidly increase.
Speaking for the FIA Foundation, its Director General, David Ward applauded the efforts of the Sultanate of Oman to promote global road safety. “It is no small achievement” he said “to put a new subject on the agenda of the international community but Oman has done this. The Sultanate’s sponsorship of a series of UN General Assembly resolutions has resulted in major progress on road safety; the creation of a UN Road Safety Collaboration, publication of best practice manuals, and the creation of a new World Bank Global Road Safety Facility. All of these important developments have come about because of the initiative and leadership of the Sultanate of Oman.”
The workshop concluded with the adoption of recommendations for ESCWA Member States to consider and with an agreement to maintain a regional dialogue on road safety good practice in future. The UN ESCWA workshop was co-organised by DARRAN, an Omani events organising company.