The Government ratified this month the African Road Safety Charter, adopted in 2016 by the African Union (AU), at a time when authorities have made combating road accidents on national roads a priority.
According to a Lusa report, the ratification of the accession was approved in a Council of Ministers meeting on October 28 and officially published in the Boletim da República on November 13, thereby formally entering into force. A resolution stipulates that the Ministry of Transport and Logistics is “responsible for establishing all necessary mechanisms for the implementation of the document.”
The African Road Safety Charter was adopted during the 26th Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2016. In general terms, it calls on member states to “promote collaborative efforts at national, regional, and continental levels, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of initiatives, knowledge sharing, and monitoring.”
“It is expected that states adopt and apply minimum standards for vehicles to ensure their technical fitness for circulation, including regulations on the age limit of imported vehicles, with strengthened enforcement of mandatory periodic inspections,” the charter describes.
According to the document, incentives should be created for the acquisition of new vehicles that are safe both environmentally and operationally, including public transport and cargo vehicles. “Member states will annually commemorate the African Road Safety Day on the third Sunday of November.”
Countries are also expected to actively participate in international road safety partnerships and create an enabling environment for the participation of the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic and research institutions in road safety activities.
Government data indicate that at least 662 people have died and 1,227 others have been injured in 488 traffic accidents recorded since January this year in Mozambique.
Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Benvinda Levi explained that statistics point to disregard for traffic rules, speeding, improper overtaking, and driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances as the main causes of accidents.
Levi stated that various measures are underway to reverse the situation, highlighting the intensification of traffic inspections and monitoring, reinforcement of awareness campaigns, and revision of the Road Code to continuously improve safety and comfort in passenger and cargo transport.
