VMPL

New York [US], July 24: Alongside the United Nations Road Safety Fund, WDC becomes a Founding Member of the newly launched Alliance, pledging responsible artificial intelligence, technology and governance expertise to advance safer mobility worldwide.

Every road journey begins with the same quiet assumption: that it will end safely. Yet road traffic crashes claim an estimated 1.19 million lives annually, leaving millions more with life-altering injuries. The burden falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries and costs economies approximately 3% of GDP each year. Behind every statistic is a family, a livelihood and a community affected by a tragedy that is, in most cases, preventable.

Against this backdrop, the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety convened at UN Headquarters, New York, on 20-21 July 2026, bringing together Member States, development partners and private-sector leaders to accelerate progress toward halving global road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.

Running alongside the meeting, the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) Partnership Pledging Conference marked the launch of the Brands for Safer Roads Alliance, a joint initiative of the UN Road Safety Fund and the PVBLIC Foundation. Built on the belief that businesses have an essential role in advancing road safety, the Alliance encourages organisations to contribute expertise, innovation and long-term commitment toward safer mobility worldwide.

Among the organisations announced as Founding Members, alongside the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) and CUBO, was World Development Corporation (WDC).

Operating at the intersection of governance advisory and applied technology, WDC has pledged both financial support and technical expertise to help strengthen road safety implementation through responsible artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making. The organisation's proposed areas of contribution include predictive identification of accident-prone locations, AI-assisted analysis of traffic and infrastructure data, intelligent monitoring, early-warning systems and data-led post-crash coordination, while ensuring transparency, privacy and meaningful human oversight.

Commenting on the organisation's Founding Membership, Mr. Zeeshaan Pathan, Group Managing Director and CEO, World Development Corporation, said:

'Joining the Brands for Safer Roads Alliance as a Founding Member reflects our belief that businesses must contribute meaningfully to challenges that affect society at its most fundamental level. Through our technical and non-financial pledge, we intend to bring together governance, responsible innovation and institutional collaboration in support of practical road safety implementation.'

Dr. Heval Mehta, Managing Director and CEO, World Development Corporation, added:

'Road safety is far more than a transportation issue--it is a development imperative that affects economies, public health and the wellbeing of communities. We are honoured to join the Brands for Safer Roads Alliance as a Founding Member and contribute our expertise in governance, responsible artificial intelligence and institutional capacity-building. Our commitment is focused on helping transform data into informed decisions that protect lives and support safer mobility worldwide.'

Offering a technology perspective, Mr. Ayub Sheikh, Managing Director and COO - Governance & Operations Strategy, World Development Corporation, said:

'Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly strengthen road safety when applied responsibly. Through predictive analytics, intelligent monitoring and data-driven decision-making, technology can help identify risks before they become tragedies. Our contribution is focused on practical implementation while maintaining transparency, human oversight and ethical governance.'

Welcoming the Alliance, Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund, emphasised the critical role of MSMEs in achieving global road safety targets. Stephen Keppel, President of the PVBLIC Foundation, described the Alliance as a practical platform that enables businesses to translate commitment into collective action. Dr. Sanjib Kumar Layek, Executive Secretary of WASME, highlighted the importance of mobilising MSMEs in advancing safer roads across low- and middle-income countries.

For WDC, joining the Brands for Safer Roads Alliance reflects its commitment to combining governance, responsible innovation and strategic collaboration to support evidence-based road safety solutions. As the Alliance begins its work, its success will ultimately be measured not by technology alone, but by safer roads, stronger communities and lives protected through collective action.

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