Strategic Partnerships

MoU with the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP)

In 2009, the Bank signed a cooperative agreement with iRAP to outline their work together on different aspects of road safety from an infrastructure perspective. Particular emphasis was placed on conducting road safety audits of highway systems so the latter could be categorized into levels and a set of countermeasures based on the respective economic assessment of each could be suggested. This methodology has been put into practice on highways in Paraguay and Mesoamerica's Pacific Corridor.

MoU with the FIA Foundation

In January 2010, the Bank signed an agreement with the FIA Foundation to jointly develop road safety activities to be performed in the region within the framework of the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The objective of the first project underway as part of this agreement is to develop the Latin American New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP), which will ensure that vehicles produced in the region meet the same safety standards required of vehicles manufactured in other regions. The Bank donated US$50,000 to the FIA Foundation to start this project.

Safety on the Roads: Joining Forces to Save Lives

On November 11, 2009 Seven Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) issued a joint statement outlining a broad package of measures that each would implement in order to reduce an anticipated and alarming rise in the number of road fatalities and casualties in developing countries

The participating MDBs are the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank.

The MDBs said the joint initiatives are important steps in a growing program of work they will undertake as international development partners.

The measures to be carried out fall into four broad categories:

• Strengthening road safety management capacity;
• Implementing safety approaches in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of road infrastructure projects;
• Improving safety performance measures; and
• Mobilizing more and new resources for road safety

See complete Joint Statement (English version)