Oman holds first national road safety workshop (11-06-2009)

The first national workshop on road safety in Oman was held 9-10 June, under the auspices of H.E. Lieutenant General Malik bin Suleiman Al Mamari, Inspector General of Police and Customs, at the Grand Hyatt in Muscat.

Government representatives, business people, and members of the civil society came together, with the support of Shell Oman and GRSP, to review the road safety situation and create a national framework for future road safety interventions and programmes.

Oman has witnessed a significant increase in road traffic deaths and injuries over the past few years with 951 deaths in 2008 as opposed to 798 in 2007 and 681 in 2006.

Participants supported the establishment of the Oman Road Safety Association, a national non-governmental organization, to coordinate and synchronize efforts of the different stakeholders.

"Oman is fortunate because a lot has been done already and we have the support of government agencies, the private sector, and the civil society," said H.E. Dr. Waheed Al Kharusi, Chairman of the formation committee of the Oman Road Safety Association. "Justice will come only when those who are not injured by crashes are as indignant as those who are."