Ghana to host first-ever Kofi Annan Road Safety Award on 16 March 2022

Accra, Ghana; 14th March 2022 - The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award is being launched by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Secretariat of the United-Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Ghana, with the support of the Kofi Annan Foundation.

The Award is to motivate key stakeholders – governments, private sector, and civil society organisations – to develop and implement innovative and outstanding initiatives to save lives on Africa's roads.

In a joint press release issued today, the organisers say the Award aims to be a game-changer for the continent most affected by road traffic crashes.

Ghana is among the countries that report a high prevalence of road traffic deaths, with 24.9 per 100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2016). Nearly 2,000 lives are lost in the country each year due to crashes - and pedestrians are particularly at risk.

The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award is named after the late Secretary-General and founder of the Kofi Annan Foundation, Kofi Annan in recognition of his contribution to the area of road safety. Mr Annan brought the issue of Road Safety and Road Traffic Victims to the United Nations agenda at the beginning of the 2000s.

The Award ceremony will be preceded by a webinar on “Safer and Cleaner Vehicles in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities in the Second UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030)” at 11a.m.