Africa rebels against pollution and accidents: the first Action Plan for safer mobility is born

Africa finds itself at a crossroads. On the one hand, rapid urbanization and economic growth push towards uncontrolled motorizationwith serious consequences for public health and the environment. On the other hand, the need to guarantee a sustainable and fair mobility for allin a continent where millions of people depend on travel on foot and by bicycle.

The numbers speak for themselves: with only 3% of the world’s vehicle fleet, Africa records 19% of road accident deathsof which a third are pedestrians. An alarming fact that highlights the fragility of the most vulnerable road users, in a context where infrastructure dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists is often lacking or non-existent.

Just think about that 74% of African roads have no pavements And 92% have no pedestrian crossings. More than a billion people walk or cycle for almost an hour a day, exposed to high risks. As he pointed out Saul Billingsleyexecutive director of the FIA ​​Foundation, “millions of people in Africa walk and cycle every day, but roads often lack essential safety features, such as sidewalks and pedestrian crossings.”

But the implications of mobility in Africa go far beyond road safety. Air pollution, largely linked to vehicular traffic, represents a growing threat to public health. In 2019, it has caused over 920,000 deaths on the continentof which almost half are due to respiratory diseases. A problem that disproportionately affects the poorest sections of the population, who live in congested areas without green spaces.

In this scenario, the Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility (PAAPAM), recently launched at the World Urban Forum in Cairo and promoted by UNEP, UN-Habitat and the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to encourage walking , cycling and other non-motorized forms of transport, with the aim of creating safer, healthier and more sustainable cities.

“This action plan represents a crucial step towards healthier and safer cities,” he said Li AilanAssistant Director-General for Healthier Populations at WHO. “By promoting active mobility, we are not alone By fighting climate change, we are facing a major public health crisis“.

It is an integrated approach that involves governments, institutions and citizens in building a better future for Africa. A future where mobility is a right for all, not a privilege for a few. As highlighted by Michal Mlynár, Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat, “a unified approach, not only across UN agencies but also at regional, national and local levels, will ensure that walking and cycling are fully integrated into sustainability efforts wider.”

PAAPAM focuses on three main areas: the creation of safe and accessible spaces, The support for people walking and cycling and theintegration of active mobility into political and investment processes. The plan includes ambitious goals in terms of safety, accessibility, comfort and investment, with specific indicators to monitor progress.

But the real challenge is translating the plan into concrete actions. For this reason, PAAPAM involves broad stakeholder involvement at all levels, from national and local governments to communities, civil society and academia. Regional task forces, working groups and an African walking and cycling network are planned, with the aim of creating a widespread movement that promotes active mobility across the continent.

Starting from 2025, UNEP, UN-Habitat and WHO will implement the framework in at least 10 African countrieswith capacity building programs already planned for Ghana, Malawi, Cameroon, Morocco and Kenya. But the success of PAAPAM will depend on the ability to involve and mobilize the entire African society, transforming active mobility from a necessity to a conscious and shared choice.