In Guinea, road accidents claim 5,060 lives each year, injure more than 52,000 people, and result in an economic cost of nearly 1.4 billion USD annually. According to data from the World Health Organization (2021), the country has the highest road traffic fatality rate in Africa, with 47.49 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. This long-overlooked crisis hampers economic development, overwhelms hospitals, and leaves families grieving.
An Ambitious Awareness Campaign to Improve Road Safety
In response to this situation, which has become a major public health concern, Rio Tinto SimFer and its partners from La Compagnie du TransGuinéen (CTG) have launched an ambitious road safety awareness campaign in collaboration with a key local partner: the NGO Club des Amis du Monde (CAM). The campaign aims to mobilize local communities around road safety issues and support national efforts to reduce traffic accidents. It includes educational activities, particularly involving children, to encourage the adoption of safe behaviors over the long term.
A Large-Scale Mobilization Along the Simandou Project Routes
Awareness activities will take place along the main road corridor of the Simandou project, particularly around the Morebaya River near the port, along the railway access road to Kérouané, and on the national roads most frequently used by the project. These include National Road 4 between Forécariah Centre and Coyah, National Road 1 from Coyah to Mamou Centre, and National Road 2 from Mamou Centre to Ouré Kaba. The campaign aims to spark a genuine shift in road safety culture across Guinea.
Each route will require a tailored approach, with specific intervention methods and a phased rollout, depending on whether the roads are national highways or located near surrounding communities.
“Road safety is not a privilege reserved for major capitals — it is a fundamental right. If we want our roads to stop being danger zones, every citizen must feel responsible”
Aboubacar Sylla
President of the Club des Amis du Monde
Combining technical expertise with local involvement
Beyond awareness-raising, a technical and sustainable approach is being implemented. The NGO CAM is receiving support from iRAP (International Road Assessment Programme), a global leader in road safety auditing. An expert from the organization traveled to Guinea to conduct, alongside members of the local NGO, an initial technical assessment of 250 kilometers of roads and two schools located between Conakry and Mamou. The results of this assessment were presented during the launch ceremony held on May 21, 2025.
“What’s at stake here is the future”
“This iRAP assessment — the first of its kind in Guinea — marks a major step toward implementing the Safe System approach. This strategy aims to prevent serious accidents by simultaneously addressing road infrastructure, speed, vehicles, and user behavior. Based on a scientifically recognized methodology, the iRAP evaluation identified the most dangerous road segments, assessed risk levels, and recommended targeted, prioritized interventions tailored to local realities.”
Charles Lowan Bonou
Accredited iRAP expert
A Long-Term Commitment from the Simandou Project Partners
“Environmental and social impact assessments conducted by SimFer and WCS have highlighted an increased risk of road accidents due to rising traffic volumes, particularly from truck convoys. This community road safety awareness program, aligned with IFC Performance Standard 4, is designed to address that risk by raising awareness and protecting local populations — especially children — along the railway corridor, at the Morebayah port, and on the roads used by the project.”
Guillaume Rey
Principal Advisor for Communities & Social Performance at Rio Tinto SimFer
This commitment goes beyond basic preventive measures. Implemented by CAM, a Guinean NGO recognized for its expertise in community engagement, the program also benefits from a partnership with iRAP, which brings valuable international expertise to the initiative.
A Campaign for Everyone
As the first field activities are already underway along the project routes, hopes are rising for a lasting shift in behavior. This is the beginning of a collective transformation — in the name of safety, responsibility, and, above all, life.
At the heart of this initiative, education and awareness play a central role.
For Rio Tinto SimFer, the goal is not just to build infrastructure, but to actively contribute to the protection of communities by instilling safe habits from an early age.
