An overview of the transport sector and road safety in the MENA region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) capture the world’s headlines when there is a war, a terror attack or a bloody government crackdown. But the deaths caused by soldiers and gunmen are tiny compared to the carnage that the region’s residents create behind the wheel of a car. Prior to the so-called ARAB SPRING, the MENA region was experiencing a transportation boom, with the construction of high-speed rapid-transit systems, the expansion of highways, the introduction of toll roads, and the reduction of automobile tariffs in several markets. As incomes rose and more people took to the road, the automotive industry continued to grow. This development has created problems that are now on national agendas. Pollution, gridlock and traffic safety, which is the main subject of this article, have become burning issues in many MENA countries.