ETSC Statement: The Russian Federation must step aside from its lead negotiating role on road safety at the UN General Assembly

On 30 June and 1 July 2022, the UN General Assembly is holding a High-Level Meeting on Road Safety. Since hosting the 1st Ministerial on Road Safety in Moscow in 2009, the Russian Federation has led UN GA deliberations on successive resolutions and will do so again in the process of deciding on a Member States’ Declaration to be adopted at the next High Level Meeting.

Following the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation’s position leading road safety in the UNGA is now untenable and will put at risk the possibility of adopting a strong text. The text to be adopted is expected to endorse the UN Global Plan for the 2nd Decade of Action on road safety and mobilise funding commitments from the donor community. Not surprisingly, many Member States, including those in the European Union, are now reluctant to allow Russia to play a leading role in this important negotiating process.

We support the statement by the Global Alliance for Road Safety NGOs issued on 7 March: “Russia has forfeited any credibility to lead on a major issue of global public health. We urge the Russian Federation to voluntarily step aside from its current negotiating role”.