The Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport in its report on the Analysis and Policy Recommendations called for an action where all decisions made on transport must have people and their quality of life at the centre.

The report went on to state that there is an urgent need for action to address the staggering social, environmental, and economic costs associated with ‘business as usual’: every year 1.24 million people die in road accidents and a further 3.5 million people die prematurely due to outdoor pollution, including from transport sources; 23% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions come from transport; and road congestion is a tremendous burden on the economy, currently accounting for 0.7% of the GDP in the United States, 2% of GDP in Europe, 2–5% of GDP in Asia, and as high as 10% of GDP in some cities of emerging economies, including Beijing, São Paulo and Lima.

Established for a period of three years to provide recommendations on sustainable transport actionable at global, national, local and sector levels, the Advisory Group will work with governments, transport providers (aviation, marine, ferry, rail, road, and urban public transport), businesses, financial institutions, civil society and other stakeholders to promote sustainable transport systems and their integration into development strategies and policies, including in climate action.

As a member of the UN Secretary General High Level Advisory Group, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam said, “the global recommendations will enable the UN and member States to meet the Transport sector targets of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). Our continent Africa and my great Nation Ethiopia will benefit tremendously by implementing the recommendations of the High Level Advisory Group. We will play a catalyst role in coordinating all the stakeholders of the sustainable Transport Development sector to enable Ethiopia achieve the SDG’s.”