The National Traffic Safety Committee held a press conference today, Monday, January 15, 2018 to announce the launching of the action plan of the second phase of national traffic safety strategy (2018-2022) and opening of the fifth forum of stakeholders to implement it.

Speaking at the conference, Brigadier Muhammad Abdullah Al Maliki, Secretary of National Traffic Safety Committee said that HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani would unveil the second phase of national traffic safety strategy on Tuesday 16 January, 2018. He will also inaugurate the fifth forum of the concerned authorities for the implementation of the strategy in the presence of ministers and traffic officials from Kuwait, Oman and a number of experts from public and private sectors.

He underscored the prominent position of the State of Qatar in road safety management at regional level and among the third world countries through its establishment of national traffic safety committee as a leading national institution. The committee had put forward a national traffic safety strategy 2013-2022 with participation of authorities concerned in traffic safety and it has set up an office to strengthen the position of Qatar globally in this regard and provide advices to the decision makers who are assigned to implement the strategy.

He said that the committee has enhanced the involvement authorities and modified its organizational structure including the Minister of Transport and Communications and appointing him as senior vice chairman of the Committee considering the role played by the Ministry in the transport sector. The Committee has adopted the UN resolutions ratified by the State of Qatar and prepared a mechanism to follow up on its implementation.
 

He added that Qatar has achieved membership of the United Nations Global Road Safety Collaboration, as well as it is working to get membership in the European Union Traffic and Traffic Accidents Database, along with its efforts to obtain ISO certification for traffic safety management.

Brigadier Al Maiki said that one of the most important results achieved by the first phase is the success in reducing the number of deaths from 235 deaths, (14 deaths per 100,000 people) in 2013 to 178 deaths (i.e. 6.93 deaths per 100,000 people) in 2016, which led to the allocation of the State of Qatar to the group of international countries with a distinguished position in traffic safety. The country's rate is much lower than the world average, according to the first report of the United Nations in 2016. Qatar is ranked 49th in the world and the first among Arab nations in achieving the United Nations Development Goals.

The road transport sector, including the roads that built more than 400 km of highways in 2017, is also planning to open the first phase of the Doha Metro in 2020, as well as the expansion of the maritime transport sector which witnessed the opening of Hamad port linking the State of Qatar with more than 150 international destinations. Qatar Airways fleet has also been expanded to more than 200 aircraft as the sector plays a vital role in the growth of the national economy, He added.

He pointed out that the second phase of Strategy 2018-2022 was prepared with the concerted efforts of all concerned bodies to move the State of Qatar to the ranks of developed countries, implementing the directives of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who is also the Chairman of the NTSC.

He added that the action plan for the second phase of the strategy provides an effective and unique road map to reduce the number of traffic accidents and address the consequences of human suffering resulting from these accidents and to implement the United Nations goals for sustainable development for the period 2015-2030 as well as achieve the ambitious goals set out in the National Strategy for Traffic Safety and Vision Qatar 2030.
He pointed out that the implementation of the second action plan has been assigned to more than 32 bodies compared to 13 in the first phase, as well as increased to more than 400 plans compared to 198 in the first phase. The importance of collaboration between government sector and the private sector, civil society organizations and all segments of the society has been confirmed by making innovative efforts and avoiding traditional operational practices and adopting effective initiatives through developing the desired goals that are commensurate with the country's growth and the challenges it faces.

The objectives of the second phase includes reduction of mortality by 50%, reduction of deaths to 130 in 2022, reduction of the number of severe injuries to 400 in 2022, implementation of the UN sustainable development goals related to sustainable cities, building road and transport networks, reduce congestion by 5% annually, reduction of the pedestrian mortality rate to 17% of total deaths by 2022 (32% in 2016), support to the economy and national security by reducing the losses of GDP resulting from traffic accidents and congestion, the establishment of a new electronic follow-up website to promote participation of all stakeholders. It also aims to strengthen the connection between the sea, air and ground transport for the construction of an integrated transport system, develop traffic safety in school areas, and construct bridges and pedestrian crossings and bicycle paths, support the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, adopt a system of non-traditional urban planning, and the preparation of the emergency plan for the management of related parts of the transport, among others.

This plan is designed to meet the priorities and challenges of the National Traffic Safety Strategy for the next five years in order to build a sustainable and safe transportation system for current and future generations in Qatar, he said.