From Aidoghie Paulinus, New York
The President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, has told Nigeria and other countries that sustainable transport is not an option, but an imperative for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development.
Francis stated this during the High-Level Meeting on Sustainable Transport at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States.
The meeting is one of the events lined up for the United Nations General Assembly Sustainability Week, which commenced on Monday.
Francis said the crucial significance of the transport sector in the global economy cannot be overstated, adding that transportation is an industry in its own right, but it is also a vital input into considerable other industries and sectors, that themselves add to global output and growth.
Francis also said transportation is a lifeline connecting communities and markets, facilitating trade, and thus driving economic growth.
He however said the unprecedented global challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities inherent to the current transportation systems and supply chains.
Francis further said that virtually, the entire world bore witness to the drastic consequences of inadequate and inaccessible transportation, which disrupted supply chains, economic downturns, and crippled tourism sectors.
“The fact is that sustainable transport is not merely an option, but rather it is an imperative for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development,” Francis said.
Francis also said the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport so declared by the General Assembly in December, 2023, presented a unique opportunity to recalibrate the United Nations’ approach.
Francis further said with over one billion people or one-eighth of humanity lacking access to all-weather roads, the foremost priority must be to ensure equal access to sustainable transport, particularly for countries in special situations and vulnerable communities.