By Phesheya Ian Kunene
EZULWINI – A nation’s dignity rides on its roads, and for Eswatini, that journey is marked by commitment and hope.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has reaffirmed Eswatini’s firm dedication to road safety, describing it as a fundamental issue of human rights, development, and national pride. He was addressing dignitaries at the prestigious Kofi Annan Road Safety Awards held in Ezulwini on Monday evening — a moment of global recognition and reflection for the African continent.
Hosting the event was a proud moment for Eswatini, which previously received the Road Safety Management Award at the 2022 ceremony in Marrakech. The Prime Minister noted that this recognition was more than ceremonial — it symbolized Eswatini’s ongoing investment in safer roads and life-saving policies.
He praised the legacy of the late Kofi Annan, who championed global road safety by establishing the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety. Dlamini emphasized that Annan’s vision continues to inspire Eswatini’s road safety journey, guided by policies that center people, dignity, and sustainable progress.
Eswatini was among the first African nations to ratify the African Road Safety Charter, positioning itself as a regional leader. The country’s National Road Safety Strategy (2021–2023), aligned with the UN Decade of Action, aims to reduce road fatalities by 50 percent by 2030. Dlamini highlighted that these goals are not merely statistical targets, but moral duties.
“Road safety is a societal challenge,” he said. “It needs political will, collaboration, and public support. Progress is measured not in trophies but in lives saved and futures protected.”
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, echoed these sentiments, announcing plans to pursue funding through UN mechanisms for further road safety development.
The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, H.E. Jean Todt, also delivered a powerful message, calling for transport systems that uphold dignity — where passengers are not treated as cargo, but as human beings.
International voices added urgency and solidarity. Senegal’s Minister of Infrastructure, S.E.M. Yankoba Diémé, shared that his country loses two lives daily to road crashes, emphasizing the need for awareness campaigns and grassroots engagement.
This year’s Kofi Annan Road Safety Awards celebrated standout achievements from across the continent:
• Nigeria – Road Safety Management
• Cameroon – Innovation in Digitization
• Ethiopia – Public Transportation & Modal Shift
• Kenya – Safer Vehicles
• Senegal – Road Safety Financing
• South Africa – Post-Crash Care
As the curtains closed on a night of recognition and resolve, one message stood out: safer roads are everyone’s responsibility. Eswatini, with its renewed promise, is ready to lead by example.
