The African Road Safety Charter officially entered into force on 12 March 2026, marking the continent’s first legally binding framework dedicated to improving road safety.
Originally adopted by African Heads of State in 2016, the Charter required ratification by at least 15 African Union Member States, along with the formal deposit of instruments of ratification with the African Union, before it could take effect. That threshold was reached on 11 February 2026, when the Republic of Mozambique became the fifteenth country to complete the process.
Describing the development as a major step forward, Lerato D. Mataboge, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, said the ratification sends a strong political message about the value of human life and Africa’s commitment to safer transport systems.
“This ratification is a strong political statement to preserve human life and advance Africa’s collective vision of safer roads, safer vehicles and safer road users. The Charter’s entry into force gives us the legal foundation we need to hold governments accountable and drive real progress,” Mataboge said.
The Charter comes at a critical time for the continent. In the WHO African Region, road deaths rose by 17% over the decade leading to 2021, with nearly 250,000 fatalities recorded each year. Although several African countries have made progress in reducing road traffic deaths in recent years, the region still has the highest road fatality rate in the world.
Under the Charter, signatory countries are required to take action in line with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 and the African Road Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, both of which aim to help countries halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.
Key commitments under the Charter include establishing national road safety agencies to coordinate policy, enacting and enforcing laws that reflect global best practice on major road safety risks, and improving crash data systems to support evidence-based decision-making. The framework also calls for greater investment in safer road infrastructure and vehicle standards, as well as stronger pre-hospital and post-crash emergency care systems.
Commenting on the significance of the development, Dr Nhan Tran, Head, Violence and Injury Prevention at WHO, described the Charter’s entry into force as a major milestone for Africa.
“The entry into force of the African Road Safety Charter is a major milestone for Africa. This is exactly the kind of systemic, legally-binding intervention that can help turn the rising number of road deaths around. Rooted in proven solutions, it is a clear commitment to urgent action. We urge all African Union Member States to ratify and implement this landmark Charter,” Tran said.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in support of the African Union Commission and the African Road Safety Observatory, played a central role in the process that led to the Charter taking effect. This included advocacy for ratification and implementation, as well as technical support to African countries in strengthening road safety legislation, improving data and surveillance systems, developing national strategies, enhancing emergency care systems, and building the capacity of national road safety agencies.
WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety, widely regarded as the leading global source of road safety data, also provided the evidence base used to support advocacy around the Charter. Country profiles from the report helped highlight both progress and persistent gaps across the continent.
So far, the 15 African Union Member States that have ratified the Charter and deposited their instruments of ratification are Benin, Central African Republic, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
The Charter’s entry into force is expected to strengthen accountability, encourage more coordinated action, and provide a stronger legal foundation for reducing road deaths and injuries across Africa.
