The United Nations and transport officials from across Asia and the Pacific pressed for stronger investment in road safety, as global and regional leaders gathered at the Asia-Pacific Regional Road Safety Conference (APRSC) hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from September 9-11, 2025.
In a news release, the Embassy of Sweden in Manila said the high-level meeting brought together transport ministers and officials from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea, alongside development banks and international experts.
Jean Henri Todt, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, underscored the staggering toll of road crashes.
He reminded delegates that “every year more than a million people in the world are killed from road crashes and millions more are injured. Road traffic deaths are also the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29. Beyond human suffering, road traffic deaths and injuries impose significant economic and financial losses to societies.”
The UN has declared 2021–2030 the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, with a target of halving road traffic deaths and injuries worldwide by 2030.
Ambassador Anna Ferry of Sweden joined the discussions, sharing Sweden’s Vision Zero model. “Critical for our success in road safety is a holistic approach in society; not only new tech and improved infrastructure, but also access to public transportation and emergency care, as well as behavior change and rule of law,” she said.
The Philippine delegation, led by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor, presented national initiatives including BRT expansion, new bike lanes, and major rail projects.
According to a 2023 World Bank study, road crashes kill around 700,000 people annually in Asia-Pacific.
The World Health Organization, for its part, said economic costs are estimated at 2 to 5% of GDP for low- and middle-income countries.
Government data show that the Philippines recorded 65,000 road crash injuries in 2023, highlighting the urgent need for stronger safety systems.
The conference also explored financing solutions for road safety, urging closer cooperation among governments, development institutions, and private sector innovators.
The back-to-back events with Sweden and European chambers signaled a growing international push to address mobility challenges in the Philippines and the region. V. Uy