"very weak" policies regulating the import of used vehicles. The report called for harmonized regulations at a global and regional level to "ensure used vehicles make meaningful contributions to shifting to cleaner, safer, and affordable mobility." This could notably happen if used low- and no-emissions vehicles are promoted as an affordable way for developing countries to access advanced technologies.

Setting new standards

UNEP and its partners have worked with African countries to draw up new standards, helped by the UN Road Safety Fund, which is chaired by the UN Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, who is also president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.

This work has already paid off in West Africa, where the Economic Community of West African States last year adopted a comprehensive set of regulations for introducing cleaner fuels and vehicles. Those standards came into effect in January this year.

Now, efforts are underway to introduce similar rules in East Africa, de Jong said, and South Africa has started a consultation process on harmonised standards.