The engineer Rami Semaan participated in the Eighth United Nations Global Road Safety Week, organized in partnership with ESCWA and that took place from May 12 to 18, 2025. The event was held under the theme “Streets for Life: Making Walking and Cycling Safe.” As part of the week’s activities, a regional workshop was conducted on May 14, bringing together representatives from member states, regional bodies, and specialized NGOs.

The 2025 UN Global Road Safety Week emphasized the importance of improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It showcased practical measures that various stakeholders, such as governments, international organizations, civil society groups, businesses, and educational institutions, can adopt to promote a shift toward modes of transportation that are healthier, more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and economically efficient.

In his intervention, Engineer Semaan highlighted the current challenges facing urban transport:

“Urban transport suffers from deteriorating road safety and the marginalization of soft mobility modes, such as walking and cycling. The current road network lacks integration and hierarchy, thus negatively impacting the environment, the economy, and society in general. The scene is characterized by a scarcity of facilities, weak public transport systems, and behaviors that discourage safe mobility.

On the other hand, there are opportunities to improve the situation through the development of dedicated lanes, speed reduction measures, and the connection of routes to key urban areas. A strategic direction is needed to reorganize road infrastructure and empower municipalities. What is required is a comprehensive and sustainable vision—one that is actually implemented, rather than a continued cycle of studies without real action to change the existing reality.”