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IRF Brings Knowledge Sharing to the Forefront at 1st Africa Regional Congress
June 6, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ABUJA, Nigeria – The 1st International Road Federation Africa Regional Congress closes today with a renewed call for African leaders to address the infrastructure and mobility challenges that so often accompany rapid economic growth and increasing motorization. The highly successful event was held against a backdrop of unprecedented road infrastructure investments across sub-Saharan Africa, but also mounting mobility challenges.
“The results of investments in roads have shown how transformative an infrastructure they can be for a wide range of beneficiary communities,” noted IRF President & CEO C. Patrick Sankey as he delivered the opening address to an audience of stakeholders from 26 countries.
“Africa stands to benefit from a robust road network expansion and maintenance program that will enhance cross-border trade,” stated Mohammed Namadi Sambo, vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “The Nigerian government is putting in place best practices to drive public-private sector partnership in the sector’s development and all other areas.”
The three-day Congress gathered transportation experts to discuss and offer solutions to the region’s growing infrastructure and mobility challenges, chief among which is meeting the goals of the U.N. Decade of Action for Road Safety.
“Africa has 2% of the world’s vehicles, but 16% of road related deaths,” commented Mr. Sankey. “Basic, well-known engineering measures can help protect people from death or serious injuries cost-effectively and with immediate effect. Yet, all too often, road designers rely on outdated approaches and obsolete technology,” he said.
The Congress set an agenda for regional collaboration in the area of capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing among transportation stakeholders. The IRF is ideally positioned to support this process through its program of continuing training and educational scholarships, which have helped fund degrees for 193 transportation professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.
“The success of our first regional congress in Sub-Saharan Africa confirms our leadership’s strategic vision for IRF to become the world’s premier industry knowledge platform,” concluded Mr. Sankey. “We look forward to working with Nigerian authorities and policy-makers from across the region in translating the Congress findings into actionable programs.”
Pictures and summary information of the event are available at: http://www.IRF.global/event/1st-africa-regional-congress/.
For more information, contact Dr. Leslie Mills at + 1 703 535 1001
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Additional coverage of the event:
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/06/06/tackling-the-road-safety-crisis-in-africa
http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/irf-says-14-people-die-every-day-nigerian-roads
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/african-countries-lose-3-gdp-to-bad-roads-irf-chief
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_separator color="grey"][vc_raw_html]JTNDYnIlM0UlMEElM0NiciUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The International Road Federation, founded in 1948, is a not-for-profit, non-political organization with the mission to encourage and promote development and maintenance of better, safer and more sustainable roads and road networks. With a membership network in 90 countries across six continents, the IRF believes it can make a difference by providing best practices and expert advice to today’s multi-faceted world of transport.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]