Zambia

Country Summary

Nestled between several countries in Southern Africa, Zambia has witnessed a steady expansion of road safety initiatives in 2010 due to successful partnerships.

Alongside the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), a handful of key actors can be attributed to this success: the Government of Zambia, the Zambia Red Cross, the Global Road and Transport Knowledge Partnership, and the Road Transport and Safety Agency. Together in 2010, they implemented activities ranging from workshops and nation-wide campaigns to engagement with the media and private sector companies. It has all led to an increased awareness and development for road safety.

Specific activities included a workshop for 60 key stakeholders from the government, businesses and civil society titled “GRSP Zambia the Way Forward”. It served as a platform to decide on a way forward into action.

The development of partnerships was also key to building road safety initiatives in Zambia in 2010. At a national level, private sector companies joined the cause including Madison Insurance, Lafarge and Konkola Copper Mines. At a community level, Zambia began establishing community partnerships in Lusaka by using the Proactive Partnership Strategy from Brazil. The strategy stresses local government ownership, accurate data, a focus on risk factors, and partners from enforcement, transport, health and education.

Creating a culture of road safety has also been a big part of Zambia’s activities, with the support of the national broad casting television station, ZNBC, which implemented four TV programmes on road safety. These efforts were complimented by the launch of seatbelt campaign with the Lusaka City Council and Road Transport and Safety Agency.

And as the Government called on all stakeholders to help the country realise its goal of reducing traffic collisions by 25 per cent by 2013, the Global Road Safety Partnership in Zambia hope to continue playing a key role in making the goal a reality, building upon these achievements from 2010.

Traffic collisions are the third major cause of death in the country after malaria and HIV and AIDS. I believe we should aim beyond the 25 per cent reduction in collisions, and target zero per cent tolerance to road traffic fatalities.

– Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport, Mubika Mubika