Online training of 40 road safety professionals across Africa is now underway, following a workshop delivered in collaboration with the Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) as part of iRAP’s partnership with the African Road Maintenance Fund Association (ARMFA).

The June workshop, delivered online in French and English, shared priorities and plans for improving road safety across Africa, and lay the foundation for ongoing iRAP training of practitioners, all committed to advancing road safety in their countries and the region.

The training outlined iRAP’s priorities for Africa, which include the development of regional partnerships to support road safety assessments and investment plans to ensure that all roads, both existing and newly designed, meet minimum safety standards, with a goal of achieving at least a three-star rating.

The capacity-building initiative underscores the urgent need for improved road conditions in Africa, where road safety continues to be a pressing challenge.

iRAP’s partnership with ARMFA, formalised with the signing of an MOU in February, and collaboration with SSATP, aims to improve regional road safety, reduce fatalities, and enhance sustainable road infrastructure for millions of African road users, building on the existing momentum:

Improving the safety performance of regional corridors will help connect goods to market more efficiently, foster economic development and protect road users who travel and live along them.

Marisela Ponce de Leon, SSATP’s Road Safety Pillar Lead, presented findings from the Africa Status Report on Road Safety 2025 along with the Road Safety Performance Monitoring Framework for African Countries, highlighting their importance as essential resources for assessing current conditions and tracking advancements in road safety across Africa.

Natalie Chiavassa, iRAP’s Safer Journeys Lead for Africa said, “The training was an invaluable opportunity for road safety professionals from across Africa to come together, align priorities, and gain critical skills to improve road safety. The collaboration between iRAP, ARMFA and SSATP signals an exciting new phase for road safety in Africa. As the training participants take the knowledge and tools they have gained back to their communities and organizations, they will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Africa’s roads become safer, better designed, and more efficiently maintained.”

In the next step of the iRAP-ARMFA partnership, 40 representatives from all ARMFA countries are undergoing online training in the iRAP methodology and tools, to build their knowledge and skills in safer road design, construction and maintenance.

For more information

• Watch the iRAP-SSATP-ARMFA June Workshop recording in French and English.
• Download the SSATP Africa Status Report on Road Safety here.
• Download the SSATP Road Safety Performance Monitoring Framework for African Countries here.
• Read about the iRAP and ARMFA partnership here.
• For more information on iRAP partner impact in Africa, click here, for detailed information visit the iRAP Partner Portal here, or contact Nathalie Chiavassa, our Safer Journeys Lead for Africa on email Nathalie.chiavassa@irap.org
• For more information on SSATP, click here.

Images credit: Pexels Dick Scholten, iRAP and SSATP