Mali is facing a major road safety crisis. In 2023, the national road network recorded 7,685 accidents, causing
8,627 victims, including 689 deaths and 7,938 injuries. Hence the national offensive launched by the government.
Mali recorded up to 7,685 accidents in 2023. These alarming figures reflect a worrying increase in tragedies on the country’s roads, with young people aged 16 to 40 accounting for 76 percent of accidents and 83 percent of deaths.
It also appears that motorised two-wheelers are the vehicles most involved (30 percent of deaths), followed by public transport (16 percent).
Faced with this scourge, the Malian government convened the first meeting of the Interministerial Road Safety Committee on Thursday, chaired by the prime minister. The objective: to reduce the road mortality rate by 50 percent by 2030, from 25 to 12 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
The consequences of road accidents in Mali are multiple. On a human level, each accident leaves families in mourning and weakens society.
On an economic level, the cost is just as considerable. According to experts, losses related to road accidents can represent up to 3 percent of a country’s GDP, due to medical care, loss of productivity and infrastructure repairs. These figures highlight the urgent need for concrete measures to reverse this trend.
The Interministerial Committee, under the supervision of the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, has adopted a series of ambitious measures to curb the crisis. These include, in particular, strengthening road checks by increasing the number of personnel on accident-prone roads. This measure also includes improving
infrastructure by setting up safety zones for pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, awareness campaigns targeting young people and two-wheeler drivers have been launched. Also to better deal with accidents, the government has toughened penalties for serious offenses and promoted protective equipment.
However, this plan has also revealed institutional shortcomings, including the lack of an effective coordination structure. The creation of this high-level committee is therefore a first step towards better coordination of government actions.
An ambitious but achievable goal
The goal of halving the road mortality rate by 2030 is inspired by the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Countries such as Sweden, with its “Vision Zero” strategy, show that such reductions
are possible. Mali is drawing inspiration from these models while adapting the solutions to its national realities, marked by limited infrastructure and a high rate of accidents linked to risky behaviour.
PM sounds the alarm
Chairing this first meeting, the prime minister described the situation as a “national crisis”. He stressed the need for collective mobilisation to save lives.
“Every life saved is a victory for our country,” he said, calling on ministerial departments to accelerate
the implementation of the measures adopted. He also announced rigorous monitoring to assess progress.
MD/Sf/te/fss/as/APA