"According to specific criteria set by the World Bank, Seychelles recently graduated to high income country status. This important leap, recognizes the commendable transformation that Seychelles has made under the leadership of the Government of President James Michel, despite the challenges and specificities of being a SIDS country. By making this statement we do not intend to brag, but to draw attention to a very important and significant apprehension. Economic stability leads to greater buying power which inevitably leads to a list of other factors exemplified by a surge in the number of vehicles in the country, increase in the abuse of drugs and alcohol, and a substantial growth in the ownership of notable devices inclusive of cell phones. These, and more, are reasons why roads are increasingly becoming unsafe."

These were the opening remarks by Seychelles at the 2nd UN High-Level Conference on Road Safety meeting in Brazilia on 18th November 2015. It was Ambassador Barry Faure, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, standing in for Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport Joël Morgan, who addressed the Conference on behalf of Seychelles.

Ambassador Faure further informed the meeting of the various measures being implemented or on the drawing board to curb road accidents and fatalities, as well as to improve road safety. These include the recent setting up of a multi-stakeholder committee charged with the implementation of the Road Safety Policy.

Other measures mentioned by Ambassador Faure were: the setting up of a separate court for Traffic offences; equipping the Police with Alcometers (Breathalysers) to test alcohol in drivers, Portable Laser Speed Guns for speed detection, and soon, Portable Speed Cameras which will help the enforcement side better; revision of the Road Transport Regulations to align them to the 5 pillars of road safety established by UN; the introduction next year of a new computerized Accident Data Recording and Analysis system which will help significantly in recording accidents and analyzing them; ?the sensitization campaigns for road users and the population

in general, like the successful "Arrive Alive Campaign", will be reinforced; the newly-approved Transportation Master Plan, which will lead Seychelles towards a road network which makes provision for the cyclist, the pedestrian, the disabled, and the elderly.

The Conference, which is being attended by approximately 2000 participants from over 130 countries, is expected to adopt tomorrow the Brazilia Declaration. It will seek to outline the commitments of member states towards improving road safety by 2020, as well as implementing the relevant goals and targets of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.