APO News from Africa:
Fourth UN Global Road Safety Week: speed management key to saving lives:
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt today ( May 14, 2017) marked the fourth United Nations Global Road Safety Week during a regional celebration held at WHO premises in Cairo. The week and its related campaign “Save Lives: Slow Down” draw attention to the dangers of speed and the measures which should be put in place to address this leading risk for road traffic deaths and injuries. Studies indicate that typically 40–50% of drivers do not adhere to speed limits. Excessive and inappropriate speed is a key road safety risk factor, contributing to about one third of fatal road traffic crashes in high-income countries and up to half in low-income countries. Road traffic injuries continue to be a grave public health concern regionally and globally.
“Excessive speed is the main reason behind road traffic injuries,” noted Dr Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.. “Addressing road traffic injuries has been designated as a priority area for the WHO Regional Office over the next five years with the aim of supporting countries in their efforts to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads and address this key public health issue,” he added. The Eastern Mediterranean Region accounts for almost 10% of global road traffic deaths and has the second highest road traffic fatality rate in the world after WHO’s African Region. The majority of deaths occur among males and the younger and economically active age groups (15–44 years), with serious implications for health and development.
The celebration was inaugurated by Dr Fikri, WHO Regional Director, Richard Dictus, the UN Resident Coordinator, H.E. the Minister of Health and Population of Egypt Dr Ahmed Emad El Din Rady, and was attended by several prominent representatives from concerned Egyptian authorities, United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations active in road safety efforts.
In advance of the fourth UN Global Road Safety Week, 8–14 May 2017, WHO has released a new report entitled: “Managing speed”. The report suggests that excessive or inappropriate speed contributes to 1 in 3 of road traffic fatalities worldwide. The report highlights measures to address speed, prevent road traffic deaths and injuries, make populations healthier, and cities more sustainable.
Evidence has shown that a 5% cut in average speed can result in a 30% reduction in fatal road traffic crashes. It is thus imperative to strengthen efforts for speed management as part of a comprehensive safe system approach to achieve road safety-related goals of the Decade of Action of Road Safety 2011–2020 and the targets of Sustainable Development Goals.
Speed management measures include:
- building or modifying roads to include features that calm traffic, such as roundabouts and speed bumps;
- establishing speed limits appropriate to the function of each road;
- enforcing speed limits through the use of manual and automated controls;
- installing in-vehicle technologies in new cars, such as intelligent speed assistance and autonomous emergency braking;
- raising awareness about the dangers of speed.
Distributed by APO on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
President Zuma to open the Tourism INDABA 2017 in Durban:
President Jacob Zuma will on Tuesday, 16 May 2017, officially open the Tourism INDABA 2017 at the Chief Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.
The INDABA is Africa’s top tourism trade show that brings together more than 7 000 delegates that represent the top tourism products in Africa, as well as the world’s leading travel buyers and travel and tourism media.
The South African Government has targeted tourism as one of the key sectors to stimulate inclusive economic growth and job creation, in line with the National Development Plan, which is government’s blueprint for growth and development aimed at eliminating poverty and reducing inequality in South Africa by 2030.
Government remains committed to creating a fertile environment in which tourism can take root and flourish as well as investing in tourism.
An additional R494 million had been allocated by government over the medium term budget expenditure to promote tourism over the next three years. This includes an injection of R110 million over three years to help attract more business events and delegates to South Africa, in the form of a Bidding Fund. The fund will enable South Africa to bid more aggressively for international association conferences, meetings, incentives and exhibitions.
Whilst Government has committed to supporting tourism, it will continue to enlist the support of the private sector.
Domestic tourism also remains critical for the South African economy, where each South African has a role to play in contributing to the growth the economy.
The INDABA will also boost the efforts to get more South African citizens traveling within the country and will play a major role in bringing about radical economic transformation in South Africa.
The details of the opening of the Indaba are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Time: 09h00
Venue: Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban
Members of the Media are advised to please register using the following link to attend Indaba 2017: www.indaba-southafrica.co.za/media/register.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Presidency.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
Following intense fighting that broke out this morning in Bangassou (Mbomou Province), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders is calling on all parties to agree to a ceasefire in order to access wounded people in urgent need of life-saving medical care.
“In the space of a few hours, MSF treated 21 wounded people in Bangassou hospital. Our teams are aware of further wounded elsewhere in the city who are under fire and are therefore unable to reach medical care. At the moment, however, it is impossible to have an idea of the exact number as the intensity of the fighting means it is impossible to move around the city centre. We are asking all parties currently engaged in open fighting in Bangassou to agree to a ceasefire and allow us to collect the wounded and offer a minimum of humanitarian assistance to the population,” says René Colgo, MSF’s deputy head of mission currently working in Bangassou’s hospital.
In recent days, some residents of Bangassou have fled the city but others are trapped in their homes or have sought refuge in places that they hope can offer some protection against the violence.
“All wounded have the right to access medical care. Civilians should not be targeted, and all warring parties have a duty to respect the safety of medical facilities such as hospitals, ambulances and their staff,” says René Colgo.
Conflict in the eastern part of the Central African Republic has intensified in recent months, reaching what was previously the relatively stable province of Mbomou in March. On Monday 8 May, MSF’s teams in Bangassou hospital treated 12 people who had been wounded in clashes between UN forces and an armed group, 25 kilometres from the city.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
