TUNIS, May 4 (KUNA) -- The Council of Arab Interior Ministers called on Sunday for enhancing traffic safety awareness programs to reduce traffic accidents for the safety of citizens in Arab countries.
This came in a statement by the Council's Secretary General Mohammad Koman, on the occasion of the Arab Traffic Week, celebrated with member states from May 4 to 10 yearly.
Koman added that traffic accidents, like epidemics and wars, claim millions of victims and are considered the biggest problems facing Arab countries, noting that due transportations' development, enhancing traffic awareness among road users is a must.
Koman highlighted the huge losses caused by traffic accidents, stating that the latest statistical data from the World Health Organization indicate that traffic accidents cause the death of more than 1.19 million people annually and cause serious injuries to between 20 and 50 million others, leaving many with disabilities.
He said that according to the statistical bulletin on traffic accidents in the Arab region recorded in 2023, issued by General Secretariat based on responses from 11 Arab countries, the number of traffic accidents reached 286,005, at a rate of 323 accidents per 100,000 vehicles, resulting in 12,670 deaths and 118,675 injuries.
He stressed that the aforementioned data constitutes a "catastrophe" for Arab societies, which are in need of all the capabilities and wealth wasted as a result of these accidents, the losses of which for seven Arab countries alone were estimated at approximately USD 2.8 billion.
The Council of Arab Interior Ministers attaches great importance to the issue of traffic safety and exerts great efforts to enhance awareness and coordinate the efforts of member states through the formulation of strategies, plans, programs, guides and guidelines.
The Tunis-based council also holds an annual conference for traffic department heads to discuss topics related to traffic issues on an Arab level, study causes and repercussions, and come up with recommendations that provide effective solutions. (end) sbm.seo