Working together to solve global problems

Working together to solve global problems

Individual states are driven by their own policy objectives
The deadly terrorist attack by the Islamic State in Paris on Friday, which has claimed at least 129 innocent lives, serves as a grim reminder of the kind of challenges that the world is facing today. Global leaders gathered soon after the Paris incident in Antalya, Turkey, for the G20 summit. While the G20 is a forum for enhancing economic cooperation, the Paris attack shifted the attention to issues related to terrorism and security. Leaders of the G20 were united in condemning the incident and have issued a “strong statement on the fight against terrorism”.

The statement called for preventing and suppressing “terrorist acts through increased international solidarity and cooperation, in full recognition of the UN’s central role...as well as through the full implementation of the relevant international conventions, UN Security Council Resolutions and the UN Global Counter Terrorism Strategy”. However, differences often emerge when it’s time for action against the perpetrators of terrorism and those who support such acts. The G20 statement does not reflect any major change in strategy to collectively deal with terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State.

In fact, Russia is unilaterally acting against the Islamic State in Syria and now claims that some countries in the G20 are funding the organization. There are vast differences among global powers on the issue of Syria and how to deal with the Islamic State. This is the reason why it has been able to gain so much ground. Also, Russia’s intervention in the region is widely seen as an attempt to help Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who the western powers want to go; and they have been helping the rebel forces in the region to attain this objective. Certainly, despite renewed commitment, things are not going to be easy either in Syria or the fight against terrorism in general.

Such differences are not restricted to matters of security and are equally profound in the area of economics and finance. Essentially, what the world needs is better coordination in dealing with the emerging economic and geopolitical challenges. The joint communique at the end of the two-day G20 summit, for example, pledged to promote financial stability, clearly communicating policy action to avoid uncertainty, and resist protectionism. However, the reality is that the individual states are driven by their own policy objectives and are not necessarily worried about the consequences on the rest of the world. Several large economies today have the lowest possible interest rates and are using quantitative easing to competitively depreciate their currency, creating distortions in other parts of the world. Leverage has increased significantly in the emerging market economies which can pose a threat to financial stability. There is no system in place today to check the excesses of monetary easing by some and its impact on others. Further, trade restrictions have grown in recent times which can have long-term consequences for the global economy.

Another area where the global leaders will have to coordinate and cooperate is climate change. Leaders will meet in Paris later this month to adopt a framework to restrict global warming. G20 has committed itself to a successful outcome of the Paris conference. Again, this will not be easy and would require a fair amount of flexibility on the part of both the developed and developing countries. Developed countries will also have to commit to transfer of technology and resources to the developing countries in order to attain the climate change objectives.

From geopolitics to economic growth and financial stability, the challenges and complexities for the world have increased a great deal, and it requires greater coordination among nation states at various levels. One of the ways to attain this is by strengthening and expanding the role of global institutions such as the UN and the International Monetary Fund so that they are in a position to devise rules which are fair to all and monitor implementation.

The war against terror or maintaining global economic and financial stability are not the responsibilities of one country or a small group of countries alone. In an interconnected and interdependent world, such challenges can only be met with greater international coordination through capable institutions.

Do countries need better coordination in dealing with emerging global challenges?

Address by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the twenty ninth convocation of the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology

Address by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the twenty ninth convocation of the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology

1. I am happy to be here for the twenty-ninth convocation of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. At the outset, let me congratulate all the students who have received degrees and have been awarded with medals today. Your education has made you capable of entering a field which is at the heart of our country’s socio-economy. I am confident you will deliver with sincerity, industry and dedication.

2. Seventeenth November also marks the Foundation Day of this reputed university. I compliment all of you present here on this historic occasion. This institution, set up in 1960, is the first agricultural university to be established in India on the land-grant pattern of agricultural universities in the US. I would like to pay my homage to Pandit Gobind Ballabh Pant for his vision of creating a world-class university for agricultural studies and research.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

3. When Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru dedicated this institution to the nation 55 years ago, the whole of India looked up to this new venture with expectation. I am glad to say that this university has upheld that trust. Recognized as the birthplace of the Green Revolution, this University for over five decades has spearheaded agricultural education by introducing relevant and much-needed educational reforms. It has made substantial contributions in the area of agricultural research and technology development. Be it in the development of quality seeds or producing proficient graduates, the performance of this University has been outstanding.

4. Its initiative of establishing the Tarai Seed Development Corporation - a success story in public-private partnership – helped convert the Tarai region into a ‘seed hub’. This illustrious institution has aligned itself fully with the interests and aspirations of the farming community. Its farmer-friendly approach in extension and its dynamic teaching and research programmes have won this institute and its scientists many laurels, including the prestigious Sardar Patel ICAR Outstanding Institution Award twice. The unique feature of this University is the full integration of the students, the teachers and the experimental farms, which has led to remarkable results. I hope the leadership provided by the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Mangala Rai, a renowned agricultural scientist, will take this Institution to further heights.

Friends and dear students:

5. Agriculture is the mainstay of our economy. More than 50 percent of our population relies on this sector for earning a livelihood. Its healthy growth determines the country’s food security. Agriculture has always received top priority in our policy formulation because early in our planning process, we recognized that we ourselves have to feed our growing population which today stands at 1.28 billion. Pandit Nehru had once observed and I quote: “everything else can wait but not agriculture” (unquote). It was true then, it is true now.

6. Steps taken by the Government in the Sixties - R&D programmes, procurement and adoption of high yielding seed varieties and improved agricultural practices – resulted in rapid expansion of food production. The green revolution arrived ending the era of food imports. India is today a leading producer of rice and wheat and one of the largest exporters of these food items. The achievements would have been difficult without the support of our agricultural institutions of higher learning, and the sweat and toil of our agricultural scientists and farmers.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

7. We surmounted the challenge to food security then. But what about now, when we are confronted with decreasing land availability for agriculture coupled with a rising population? When deterioration in soil health and water quality is reducing agriculture productivity and input use efficiency?

8. We must work hard to preserve our natural resources to continuously receive four vital services, which are:

(i) Provisioning services such as food and fresh water;

(ii) Regulating services such as climate and pest regulation;

(iii) Cultural services such as educational and eco-tourism; and

(iv) Supporting services such as soil formation and nutrient cycling

9. The injudicious exploitation has already put the earth system at risk by leading to climate change and bio-diversity loss. We need new approaches to manage these risks. The climate is changing and is bound to change, but should it change so fast? What would be the increased water, energy and nutrient requirements? What strategy for mitigation and adaptation would be needed when more and more will have to be produced with less and less?

Friends:

10. The demand for rice in the world in 2030 would be 50 percent more as compared to 2004. And, it has to be produced with 30 percent less arable land as of today. The scenario in our country is similar. In this context, boosting yields, reducing harvest and post-harvest losses, and ensuring availability and access would be the key challenges.

11. One hundred forty million hectares of land is available for agriculture in our country. Yet, biotic and abiotic pressures have created adverse production conditions. About 120 million hectares of land is at various stages of degradation. Imbalanced application of fertilizers, mostly nitrogenous, has worsened crop productivity and also depreciated soil health. Adoption of more sustainable land use systems and soil management practices has become essential. Agriculture must return to its roots by rediscovering the importance of healthy soil, drawing on natural sources of plant nutrition and using fertilizers judiciously and effectively. It also calls for greater investment in technology development and its on-farm adoption, deepening of markets and remunerative prices to farmers.

12. Despite the advancements made in the last few decades, the agriculture sector in India is yet to be completely weather-resistant. After a record food grains production of 265 million tonne in 2013-14, a year of normal monsoon, the production level came down to 253 million tonne in 2014-15, when a 12 percent rainfall deficit was registered.

13. Time is ripe for new measures for sustainable intensification of agriculture. These include irrigation and continuous seed and breed improvement. 70 percent of the total water available is at present used in agriculture. This is likely to decline in the future due to other pressing demands. Also, quality of surface and ground water used for irrigation has gone down over time. Research is needed to ascertain the dynamics of toxic elements in the soil-crop system and to develop appropriate mechanisms for bio-remediation for safe use of water. Steps to enhance water harvesting, water-use efficiency and conjunctive use of water are absolutely necessary. These would result in net increase in irrigation potential. Our policies must address water productivity in totality.

14. On-farm burning of crop residues has intensified in recent years due to the use of combines for harvesting and the high cost of labour in removing crop residues by conventional methods. Bailing of residue after a harvest must form an integral part of combine harvesting. Use of crop residues as soil organic amendment in agriculture system is a good option. It will, therefore, be beneficial to develop geo-referenced residues inventory in major crop production systems across the country.

15. Insects, pests and diseases significantly reduce the quality and quantum of agricultural produce. Weather-dependent insects, pests and diseases can be modeled and integrated in a sensor-based support system to provide vital, cost-effective and timely information to farmers for taking on-farm decisions.

Friends:

16. The dimensions of food security are many. The level of nutrition in food produce is an important determinant of food sufficiency in the population. In the Global Hunger Index 2015, which combines the three indicators of under-nourishment, child under-weight and child mortality, India is ranked 80th out of 104 countries. This is totally unacceptable. We have to improve the nutritional status of our population in a time-bound manner.

17. The microbial world is the largest unexplored reservoir of bio-diversity on earth. The development of sustainable food value chains through selection, diversifying diets, and leveraging relationships to improve household nutrition practices can offer important pathways for millions of poor households in the country. The forgotten nutrient-rich millets are potential researchable crops that meet both market and nutritional objectives. Research and plantation of bio-fortified plants and trees is yet another promising area for future development.

18. Agricultural institutions of learning must focus on growth and quality improvement. Institutional tie-ups must be pursued to leverage expertise. Partnerships with other agricultural institutions must be taken up for joint research. Linkages with technical institutes must be established for improving agricultural practices using IT solutions. Collaborations with the agro-industrial sector must be forged for student internship, sensitization workshops, accessing facilities for business incubators, and networking for potential entrepreneurs.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

19. This celebrated Institution has produced many outstanding scientists and practitioners of the art and science of agriculture. You would do well to nurture the connection with alumni through structured modes of interaction. The alumni can be engaged to provide guidance in research and education, mentor students through internships, and raise resources for development.

20. This University has earned its reputation through years of hard work. It has the potential to be amongst the front-ranking institutions in the world. If due attention is paid to the ranking process, I am confident it will appear amongst the top 200 universities in the world in the next couple of years.

Friends:

21. Agriculture is the root of emergence, development and persistence of human civilization. Agricultural universities must become the focal points of agricultural growth and change. I wish this university success in great tasks that lie ahead in years to come. To the scientists of this university, I give my best wishes for further success in their endeavour to develop techniques for the production of more food from less and less land. To the graduates of this year, I would say that you are indeed a privileged lot who have had the opportunity of obtaining your training at the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. I am sure you are aware of your responsibilities as you step out of the portals of this university. Equipped as you are with scientific knowledge and skills, I am sure that you would make significant contributions to eradicate hunger from our soil. I shall watch your progress with great interest. I wish you all happiness and a sense of fulfilment in life

Making the transition to a cashless economy

India has one of the highest cash-to-gross-domestic product ratios

It is an iron law of public policy that established players create obstacles to innovations that threaten them. One such response could be building up in the financial system. This newspaper reported on Monday that Indian banks are making it difficult for digital wallets issued by private sector companies to be used on the respective bank websites. It could be restrictions on using bank accounts to refill digital wallets or a lack of access to payment gateways. Regulators will have to take a tough stand against such rent-seeking behaviour by the banks.

Many developed countries such as Sweden are already moving towards a cashless economy on the back on new payments technology. Even developing countries such as Kenya have made immense strides in mobile payments. A drastic reduction in the use of cash has several potential benefits. First, it will attack the problem of black money by leaving behind a transaction trail. Second, there will be greater efficiency in welfare programmes as money is wired directly into the accounts of recipients. Third, there will be efficiency gains as transaction costs across the economy should also come down.

India uses too much cash for transactions. The ratio of cash to gross domestic product is one of the highest in the world—12.42% in 2014, compared with 9.47% in China or 4% in Brazil. The number of currency notes in circulation is also far higher than in other large economies; India had 76.47 billion currency notes in circulation in 2012-13 compared with 34.5 billion in the US. Some studies show that cash dominates even in malls, which are visited by people who are likely to have credit cards, so it is no surprise that cash dominates in other markets as well.

Despite the recent expansion in digital wallet usage as well as the introduction of specialized payments banks, a lot needs to be done before cash is eased out of the Indian economy. One big reason many Indians use cash intensively is that half of them do not have bank accounts, so the success of initiatives such as Jan Dhan accounts linked to Aadhaar data will be very important. A robust payments mechanism to settle digital transactions is also needed, though the National Electronic Funds Transfer and Real Time Gross Settlement services have been a good start. The Reserve Bank of India too will have to come to terms with a few issues, from figuring out what digital payments across borders means for its capital controls to how the new modes of payment affect key monetary variables such as the velocity of money.

The Indian central bank will also have to shed some of its conservatism, part of which is because it has often seen itself as the protector of banking interests rather than overall financial development.

This newspaper has argued on several occasions that India is ripe for a transition to digital payments. The innovations could come from the established banks, but it is equally possible that innovative companies in the private sector drive change. The payments system in any country should be thought of as a network. It will grow rapidly only when network effects kicks in: more people begin to use digital cash in response to more people using digital cash. The result is an exponential growth trajectory. But this can happen only if all users have equal access to the network. That is what the banks seem to be trying to block.

The finance minister mentioned in his February budget speech that India needs to move towards a cashless economy if it is to tackle the scourge of black money. There were subsequent discussions about giving incentives such as a service tax waiver when credit cards or other forms of digital settlements are used. As we have mentioned earlier, a lot of plumbing work also needs to be done. But the regulators also need to keep a sharp eye on any potential restrictive practices that banks may indulge in to maintain their current dominance over the lucrative payments business.

Tamil Nadu, MP, Jharkhand, Odisha and Mizoram to improve water supply and sewerage network infrastructure under Atal Mission

Tamil Nadu, MP, Jharkhand, Odisha and Mizoram to improve water supply and sewerage network infrastructure under Atal Mission

Half of households in 5 states do not have water supply and sewerage connections

81 cities in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Mizoram will invest Rs.5,748 cr to enhance basic infrastructure including water supply and sewerage connections under AMRUT action plans for the year 2015-16. An inter-ministerial Apex Committee headed by Shri Madhusudan Prasad, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development has approved State Annual Action Plans(SAAP) of these five states which account for 81 mission cities. Central assistance will be provided to an extent of Rs.2,440 cr while the rest would be contributed by state governments and urban local bodies.

With about half of the urban households in these 81 cities not having water supply and sewerage connections, Rs.4,290 cr of the total approved outlay would go into providing household water supply connections and enhancing water supply in 53 cities. Rs.1,133 cr would be spent on providing sewerage connections in 41 cities. Rs.92 cr would be invested in storm water drainage projects in 14 cities, Rs.80 cr for promoting non-motorised public transport in 22 and Rs.113 cr for providing parks and green spaces in 76 mission cities.

State Annual Action Plans(SAAP) of each state is formulated by integrating Service Level Improvement Plans(SLIP) of each AMRUT city in respective state. SLIP of each mission city is evolved after a detailed analysis of gaps in basic infrastructure,

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) launched in July this year seeks to ensure coverage of all urban households with water supply and sewerage connections besides ensuring water supply @ 135 litres per capita per day on priority.

In these five states, extent of coverage of urban households with water supply connections ranged from 6% in Chaas(Jharkhand) to 59% in Balasore(Odisha). Only 7 cities in Madhya Pradesh i.e Chindwara, Khandwa, Mandsaur,Khargone, Neemuch, Betul and Dewas, the coverage is between 59% and 74%.

No sewerage connections are available in half of the Mission cities, while in the rest the coverage is in the range of 3% in Ratlam(MP) to 62% in Indore.

Under the SAAP approved for 2015-16 for improving basic infrastructure, Tamil Nadu with 27 AMRUT cities would invest Rs.3,249 cr followed by MP(32 cities)-1,656 cr, Odisha(9 cities)-456 cr, Jharkhand (7 cities)-Rs.313 cr and Mizoram will invest Rs.73 cr in the lone mission city of Aizawl.

Ministry of Urban Development earlier approved SAAP for 2015-16 with a total project investment of Rs.2,786 cr for Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh which account for 89 cities.

Accordingly, AMRUT action plans for 8 states accounting for 170 mission cities stand approved with a total project expenditure of Rs.8,534 cr for improving basic infrastructure.

A total of 500 cities and towns with a population of one lakh and above each besides capitals and hill stations and those of tourism importance and locates on the stem of main river are included in Atal Mission. 

“By 2017, India should not need to Import Thermal Coal”

“By 2017, India should not need to Import Thermal Coal” -Shri Piyush Goyal

Releases the India’s Report Titled ‘The Rising Sun – Disruption on the Horizon’

Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, and New and Renewable Energy said that by 2017, India should not need to import thermal coal except for the coastal power plants. He said that era of shortages is over in coal sector. Shri Piyush Goyal said this after releasing the India’s report titled ‘The Rising Sun – Disruption on the horizon’ at ENRich 2015, KPMG in India’s annual energy conclave here today. The report was released here today by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, and New and Renewable Energy and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (IC) – Petroleum and Natural Gas at the conclave.

Shri Piyush Goyal said that given the kind of structural changes, massive thrusts in bringing highest level of probity in the system, the economies of scale, the country stands to benefit from and the large scale roll out of programmes and plans to bring benefits to the people, that the nation has witnessed in last 18 months, I am very much convinced that the Indian Economy is picking up at a great speed. Shri Goyal said that in near future people will witness an unparalleled upswing in the nation’s economy which will take India to a new level of development. Shri Piyush Goyal assured that his ministry will contribute in the country’s holistic development by ensuring speed to the wheels of progress through energy security. He hoped that the last man in the bottom of the pyramid will receive fruits of this development very soon.

While speaking at the conclave, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (IC), Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said “Energy security and accessibility is important for the overall well-being of the nation. It is important that we identify the energy requirements and accordingly come up with a vision plan, making it our focus for the coming years. A comprehensive energy policy is the need of the hour.”

The report highlights that solar could scale up substantially to be a significant energy source by 2025, with the market penetration of solar power expected to be 5.7 per cent (54 GW) by 2020 and 12.5 per cent (166GW) by 2025. India aims to reduce emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels, and solar power is likely to contribute 4 per cent towards this target, the report states. The report talks about how the scale up and competitiveness of solar power could disrupt the traditional generators. The disruptive force is expected to start being felt from 2017 and may accelerate post 2020. In some states which are promoting solar (and also wind power) aggressively, conventional coal generators could see their Plant Load Factors (PLFs) fall by as much as 10-15 per cent by 2020, as solar replaces coal-fired generation in the daytime hours. This effect may speed up post 2020 with the annual addition of large amounts of solar (estimated to exceed by 20GW per year by 2022-23).

The report highlights that the price for solar power has seen a decline; today, in India, solar prices are within 15 per cent of the coal power prices on a levelised basis and, it is expected that that by 2020, solar power prices would be approximately 10 per cent lower than coal power prices. The solar rooftop power, today, is already competitive compared to grid power for many consumers and, as per the report, if combined with storage, it could be cheaper than grid power after 2022 for a large section of the consumers and drive a considerable shift to rooftop power. A ‘Solar House’ that is self-sufficient in energy terms could be a reality within the coming decade. 

Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT)

Health Minister opens AMRIT outlet at AIIMS for selling affordable drugs for cancer & heart diseases

AMRIT will go a long way in reducing financial burden on patients: Shri Nadda

With the aim to reduce the expenditure incurred by patients on treatment of cancer and heart diseases, the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda inaugurated the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlet at AIIMs, here today. The retail outlet will sell drugs for the two ailments at highly discounted rates at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to begin with.

AMRIT will be launched in all Central Govt hospitals soon, Shri Nadda stated. He further added “What we launched today in the form of AMRIT pharmacy reflects our strong commitment to reduce the cost of treatment for the patients. Lakhs of patients will benefit from this initiative. The AMRIT pharmacy would be selling 202 cancer and 186 cardio-vascular drugs, and 148 types of cardiac implants at very affordable prices. Patients can buy medicines and implants at 50 to 60 percent cheaper prices than the open market from AMRIT outlet in AIIMS.”

The project has been floated in a tie-up with government-owned HLL Lifecare Ltd (HLL) which is deputed to establish and run the AMRIT chain of pharmacies across the country.

“This is certainly an innovative initiative. The government is pinning a lot of hope on it, given that it is an IT-enabled system,” Shri Nadda said. “We are exploring the possibility of scaling up the facility and also making it accessible to larger number of people in various parts of the country.”

Initially, AMRIT pharmacy will retail cancer drugs, based on authentic prescriptions from doctors. By this month-end, cardiovascular drugs will be dispensed in line with medicines sold for cancer. Based on the outcome of the AIIMS outlet, this initiative will be taken to other central government hospitals and Regional Cancer Centres.

The government’s move comes amid statistics that peg Indians diagnosed with cancer at 700,000 every year. About 2.8 million people have cancer at any point of time and half a million die of the disease each year. The annual figure of women being diagnosed with breast cancer in India is 145,000, according to the World Health Organisation. A significant number of patients (nearly over 50 per cent) stop visiting hospitals after two or three cycles of chemotherapy due to unaffordable costs.

global conference on traffic safety

global conference on traffic safety

Minister for Road Transport &Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari leaves for Brazil today to attend the two day “2nd High Level Global Conference on Traffic Safety – Time of Results” in Brasilia on the 18th and 19th of November, 2015. The conference is slated to be one of the most important discussions in the world on traffic safety, and aims to reaffirm the international community’s commitment towards reduction of traffic accidents that are responsible for 1.2 million fatalities every year.

One of the major objectives of the event is to review the progress made by countries in implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, which aims to save five million lives on the planet through the adoption of policies, programs, actions and legislations to increase safety on the roads especially for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists .

The First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety was held in Russia in 2009.. Thereafter, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution for "Improving Global Road Safety", in 2014. The resolution expresses a concern about the fact that only 7% of the global population is protected by appropriate traffic laws, which provide mandatory use of helmets, seat belts and protective devices for children in vehicles, prohibition of driving under the influence of alcohol, speed control and prohibition of the use of mobile phones while driving, including sending text messages, which are the five key-factors of risk on transit

According to WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, 35 countries, accounting for nearly 10% of the world population, have passed laws tackling one or more of the five key-factors of risk between 2008 and 2011. However the number of countries with comprehensive legislation about all five key-factors of risk remained constant at 28 (representing 7% of the world population, or 449 million people) since the last WHO report in 2009. The goal of the Global Plan is that, at the end of the Decade of Action, the number of countries with comprehensive legislation on the subject increase by 50%.

The 2nd High Level Global Conference on Traffic Safety – Time of Results emerges from the UN resolution on “Improving Global Road Safety”. Led by the World Health Organization (WHO) , the conference aims to strengthen the commitment of the international community around policies, legislations, measures and actions that can halt the factors that cause 1.2 million deaths worldwide and physical trauma to another 30 to 50 million people due to traffic accidents every year,. The fatalities primarily affect children and young people from 5 to 29 years, and young men are the main victims.

India, along with host country Brazil is one of the Friends of the Decade of Action for Road Safety - an informal group committed to the success of the global plan. Others in the group are the Russian Federation, the United States, Spain, France, Australia , Argentina, Costa Rica, , Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, World Health Organization, the World Bank, the Economic Commission for Europe, the Global Commission for Traffic Safety (linked to the International Automobile Federation) and the Global Security Partnership in Traffic (linked to the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent).