By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – Eswatini has been selected to host the prestigious Kofi Annan Road Safety Awards, scheduled for April 14-15, 2025, in Ezulwini. This annual event honors individuals and organizations making significant contributions to road safety across Africa.
The awards, previously hosted in Morocco (2024) and Ghana (2023), are jointly organized by the Kingdom of Eswatini, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, and the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Call for Proposals
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has invited road safety stakeholders to submit proposals that introduce innovative and life-saving initiatives. According to Principal Secretary Thulani Mkhaliphi, these proposals should not only benefit Eswatini but also contribute to improved road safety across the continent.
The awards will recognize excellence in several categories, including:
- Innovation, particularly in digitization
- Road safety financing
- Road safety management
- Safer vehicles
- Public transportation/modal shift
- Post-crash care
The submission deadline for proposals is February 15, 2025, and all applications must be submitted online via the UNECA website (www.uneca.org).
Judging and Award Process
According to the Kofi Annan Foundation, the evaluation process will follow a structured timeline:
A dedicated committee from UNECA and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety will assess nominations in February 2025.
Winners will be notified by February 25, 2025.
The awards will be officially presented during the ceremony in Ezulwini on April 15, 2025.
Nomination Guidelines
Individuals and organizations can nominate themselves or others by completing an online form. The selection process requires:
- Choosing one category per nomination
- Clear and concise presentations addressing all judging criteria
- Submission of nominations by February 15, 2025
- The Urgency of Road Safety in Africa
The Kofi Annan Foundation highlights that Africa experiences the highest rate of road crash fatalities globally, with over 300,000 deaths annually. Despite having the world’s lowest motorization levels, the continent records 19.5 traffic-related deaths per 100,000 people, surpassing Southeast Asia (16 per 100,000) and Europe (6.5 per 100,000).
Additionally, the foundation states that:
- 38% of road fatalities in Africa involve pedestrians.
- 43% of traffic-related deaths involve vehicle occupants.
The upcoming Kofi Annan Road Safety Awards aim to inspire transformative action in road safety, ensuring a safer future for African road users.
For more details on nominations and criteria, visit www.uneca.org.
