HANOI, Vietnam – October 20, 2026

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Viet Nam and AIP Foundation today celebrated the first anniversary of Viet Nam Project 2000 Road Safety Partnership, a growing multi-sector collaboration working towards a future where no child or young person is killed on Viet Nam's roads. At the event in Ha Noi, the Partnership welcomed three new members: the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), Honda Viet Nam and Volvo Cars Viet Nam.

Launched in 2025, the Partnership was established in response to the ongoing toll of road traffic injuries among children and young people in Viet Nam. Approximately 2,000 children and young people lose their lives on the country's roads each year, making road traffic injuries one of the leading causes of death among young people.

Drawings by students expressing their thoughts on the significance of the Vietnam 2000 Project.

Convened by WHO Viet Nam and AIP Foundation, the Partnership brings together Government agencies, civil society, international organizations, academia and the private sector to support evidence-based action to improve child road safety. Its vision is a Viet Nam where every child and young person can travel safely on the roads.

“The growth of the Partnership over its first year demonstrates increasing recognition that road safety is everyone's responsibility,” said Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Viet Nam. “No single organization can solve this major challenge alone. By working together, we can accelerate progress towards safer roads and help ensure that children and young people are protected whether they are travelling to school, work or home.”

AIP Foundation Founder and President Sir Greig Craft said, “Today is both a celebration and a call to action. We are encouraged by the momentum generated during the Partnership's first year and delighted to welcome three respected new members. Their expertise and commitment will help strengthen our collective efforts to protect children and young people on the roads.”

Over its first year, the Partnership has helped strengthen collaboration around three key priorities: improving motorcycle safety for children, supporting the introduction and use of child restraint systems in vehicles, and promoting safer school environments through safer speeds and improved infrastructure.

The partners’ key activities have included providing technical support for the development of child-specific helmet standards; supporting the implementation of new regulations on child restraint systems in vehicles; generating evidence and providing technical advice to inform the development of national standards and guidance on speed management and safe school zones; facilitating technical workshops, expert consultations and the exchange of international experience and good practices across localities; and promoting the integration of child road safety into broader agendas on child rights, child well-being and sustainable development.

The addition of the Global Road Safety Partnership, Honda Viet Nam and Volvo Car Viet Nam broadens the Partnership's expertise and further reinforces its commitment to fostering collaboration across sectors to address Viet Nam's road safety challenges.

Despite significant progress in reducing road traffic deaths over the past decade, Viet Nam continues to experience approximately 11 000 road traffic deaths and 18 000 injuries every year. Children and young people remain among the most at risk.

At today’s event, members of the Partnership reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical, evidence-based solutions aimed at reducing road traffic deaths and injuries among children and young people by 50% by 2030.