Regional Launch of Safe Mobility Initiative in Cairo with International Participation

Cairo witnessed the launch of the inaugural meeting of the regional edition of the "Safe Mobility 4 All&4 Life" (SM4A4L) initiative for the Middle East and North Africa region. The event is organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in partnership with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the FIA Foundation, with the participation of the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt, representatives from FIA clubs, and international experts.

Initiative Objectives and the Safe System Approach

The initiative comes as part of international efforts to support countries in developing national policies and projects that enhance road safety through capacity building, experience exchange, and strengthening cooperation among various partners. It aims to achieve safer and more sustainable mobility while reducing the human and economic losses resulting from road accidents. The initiative is based on the Safe System approach, which deals with the road safety system in an integrated manner encompassing legislation, infrastructure, vehicle safety, road user behavior, and post-crash response.

Specialized Sessions and International Experiences

Representatives from FIA clubs in the Middle East and North Africa region participated in the meeting, which featured specialized sessions on the United Nations road safety strategy, the Safe System approach, and the latest trends and technologies in road safety. Additionally, several international and regional experiences were reviewed in preparation for designing national projects tailored to each country's needs, to be implemented later with technical support and supervision from the program.

During his speech at the opening session, on behalf of Engineer Ali Eissa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt, Mohamed Askar, Vice Chairman of the Club, welcomed the participating delegations. He emphasized that Cairo hosting this event reflects the importance of international cooperation in addressing road safety challenges and solidifies Egypt's position as an active partner in regional and international initiatives aimed at saving lives and promoting safe mobility.

A Successful Model of International Cooperation

Askar pointed out that the Safe Mobility 4 All&4 Life initiative represents a successful model of cooperation between UNITAR and the FIA, combining international expertise with field work. The goal is to empower member clubs and government entities to develop practical solutions that suit each country's needs through building effective partnerships, exchanging experiences, and transforming knowledge into actionable projects that contribute to improving road safety across the region.