The city of Harare, in Zimbabwe, is improving road safety through the UNRSF-funded ACRoS initiative. Harare recently held its first Open Street event in Budiriro, promoting safe walking and cycling while exploring affordable safety solutions to address Zimbabwe’s road safety crisis, which results in 41 deaths per 100,000 people each year.
The event, part of UN-Habitat’s Urban October highlighted the city’s commitment to making streets safer and ensuring that walking and cycling are accessible for everyone. Local artists created murals promoting road safety, and a workshop on tactical urbanism offered practical tools for enhancing road safety.
Harare is also partnering with cities such as Addis Ababa, Kigali, Quelimane, and Cape Town to exchange knowledge on road safety measures.
This local effort aligns with global commitments made at the ongoing UNRSF High-Level Pledging Forum in Marrakesh, which began on February 18 and will continue until February 20, 2025. At the forum, leaders and industry partners announced new funding to enhance road safety in over 125 high-risk countries.
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Pledges from governments like France, Slovenia, and Qatar, along with contributions from global companies such as Honda and Michelin have helped launch eight new projects aimed at reducing road deaths by 2030. These initiatives are anticipated to enhance road safety laws and boost funding for sustainable road infrastructure.
Source: https://roadsafetyfund.un.org/news/harare-steps-safer-roads-support-unrsf-funded-acros-initiative