Caption: iRAP Acting CEO Greg Smith and NARSA Director Benacer Boulaajoul pose for the press with the signed MOU

The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) and the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 February in Marrakech aimed at strengthening road safety in Morocco.

The collaboration will enhance local capacity for safer road infrastructure in the country through the implementation of the iRAP methodology and tools.

The MOU comes at a critical time, signed by iRAP Acting CEO Greg Smith and NARSA Director Benacer Boulaajoul during the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech. The Ministerial Conference brought together leaders from around the world to review progress at the midpoint of the Decade of Action for Road Safety and develop plans to accelerate action towards the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDG) target of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030.

The collaboration will see a comprehensive training program delivered online and in-person to 50 NARSA engineers and road safety professionals.

Upon successful completion of both training phases, participants will be eligible for iRAP Accreditation joining the global community of experts accredited to undertake iRAP assessments to the same globally consistent standard aligned to UN Targets 3 and 4.

The agreement represents the culmination of years of several years’ collaboration between iRAP and NARSA.

In a statement to the press, Mr Boulaajoul indicated that the agreement aims to establish an assessment and road safety classification of roads in the Kingdom. It also involves the delivery of training courses aimed at improving the capacities of the actors involved in the management of road infrastructure in urban areas, he stressed, noting that the ultimate objective of this agreement is to upgrade the roads in the different regions of Morocco and adapt them to international standards.

Mr Smith said, “This collaboration represents a significant step forward in Morocco’s commitment to road safety. By empowering local experts with the knowledge and tools to assess and improve road infrastructure safety, the program will contribute to reducing road trauma in the country.”

According to iRAP’s Safety Insights Explorer, achieving UN Target 4 for greater than 75% of travel on 3-star or better roads for all road users in Morocco by 2030 stands to save an estimated 2,335 lives each year, and over 2.8 million deaths and injuries over the 20-year life of road treatments, with an economic benefit of USD$2.8 billion – $32 for every $1 spent.

Image credit: iRAP