PIARC together with its partners, the South African Road Federation (SARF) and the International Road Federation (IRF), held the 7th Regional Conference for Africa in Cape Town. This global event, with over 700 delegates in attendance including exhibitors from 18th to 20th October, was organized by the SARF which by all accounts was a resounding success.

PIARC was an integral part of the programme through the participation of its two Technical Committees, namely TC 2.2 “Accessibility and Mobility in Rural Areas” and TC 3.1 “Road Safety” and its International Seminar on rural roads and road safety. Furthermore, PIARC’s two committees also made use of the opportunity to hold its bi-annual meetings in person. It was my pleasure to meet the members and enjoy the exchange and ambience of the conference.

The theme of the conference was apt “Connecting Africa through smart, safe and resilient roads – Stimulating Growth and Trade on the Continent”. The focal point of the conference was connectivity enabled through well maintained roads; through transport efficiency, safety and economic growth. All the presentations were informative, interesting and generated vigorous discussions.

One of the highlights of the conference was the presentation by Professor André Roux on possibilism and cautious optimism, which instilled hope.

My sincere gratitude to the organizers, our partners and committees for their contribution to the success of the conference. Please diarize the next big PIARC event: 27th World Road Congress in Prague, from 2nd to 6th October 2023 – see you in Prague!