Liberian Representatives Participate at the International TUMI Live TV Conference on Fight against COVID-19 in Mobility
by Press Release
MONROVIA – TUMI TV Live Conference to fight COVID-19 in Mobility took place on 26th May online. The online conference was organized and coordinated by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
The COVID-19 crisis has affected the whole world. Many branches of the economy have collapsed, and human mobility is restricted by curfews and lockdowns. This raises the question of what effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on transport and mobility, as well as how we can fight the virus in the sector. And: What happens after the crisis? Can the global pandemic have a positive impact on more sustainable and better mobility for all in the future? These and other questions were raised at the event. More than 50 experts from all over the world – from India, to Liberia, to Germany and the USA, to Colombia, presented their views and approaches.
Contributions from Liberia in the persons of Hon. Pam Belcher-Taylor, Mayor of Paynesville City, and Hon. Patrick T. Sudue, Inspector General of Liberia National Police, were presented. Both spoke about the economic challenges posed by the pandemic for Liberia and the measures taken by the Government of Liberia to protect employees and passengers in transport.
“Employees are the most important asset in the chain of the transport sector. They must therefore be given special protection,” stressed Hon. Mayor Belcher-Taylor. Hence, protective masks and washing facilities for drivers are of high priority. In her view, national health and safety standards must be enforced consistently while travelling. Hon. IG Sudue emphasized that reducing the maximum number of passengers allowed in motorcycle taxis and all commercial vehicles will help to prevent the virus from spreading.
Despite the enormous difficulties that the COVID crisis has caused worldwide, most of the conference guests made it clear that they also see great opportunities. Different mobility solutions were proposed during the Corona crisis: walking, cycling, public transport, keeping distance between passengers at bus stations and strict hygiene measures in vehicles. For the future after the pandemic, the ideas are: More infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities in cities, the expansion of electromobility as well as the reduction of motorized travel through better public transport, to name only a few.
Overall, participants agreed that international cooperation and exchange on best practice in sustainable traffic is essential to focus the change of mobility post COVID-19.
The recording of the conference, with Contributions from Liberia arefrom 3:38:50 to 3:58:40 in the video timeline can be found here: