Several countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region are making remarkable strides in cutting road traffic deaths, with the UAE reducing fatalities by over 50% in a decade. Nations like Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the UAE are sharing data-driven, governance-focused strategies ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on Global Road Safety in July 2026. Their progress offers a roadmap for the global goal of halving road deaths by 2030.
Several countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region are turning the tide on road traffic deaths — and their playbooks are worth studying. Ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety (July 20, 2026), the WHO is spotlighting nations that have made measurable, system-level progress through strong governance, smart technology, and data-driven enforcement.
From Morocco's nationally embedded enforcement strategy to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030-aligned "safe system" approach, and Oman's award-winning data integration across police, health, insurance, and judiciary sectors — these countries show that political will and coordinated infrastructure can deliver real results. Tunisia's shift from reactive measures to a multisectoral national observatory further underscores the power of institutional reform.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Road traffic injuries kill 1.19 million people annually worldwide. The progress in this region demonstrates that targeted policy, governance reform, and technology adoption can dramatically reduce preventable deaths — offering a replicable model for countries still working toward the 2030 global road safety targets.
