Commissioner of the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Engr. Charles Irikefe Erhueh, has called for synergy among Regional Accident Investigation Organisations ( RAIOs) to ensure effective Implementations within the African airspace even as he added that this would boost airlines operations and addressing the safety concerns in implementing decisions from Joint Prioritized Action Plan (JPAP).
Irikife made this known at the 6th JPAP meeting held at the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) in Dakar, Senegal from February 9 to 10, 2023 with theme: Accelerating the Full Liberalization of the African Air Transport Market Through the Establishment of SAATM-Pilot Implementation Project.
At the event, the BAGAIA Commissioner argued that carrying RAIOs along would help in mitigating the lapses.
According to him, this synergy will also will help in closing the results from GAP analysis while stressing also that there should be quick activation of the experts group as AIG is very critical to Aviation Safety.
The meeting, a consultative forum of stakeholders in Africa’s aviation industry to support SAATM implementation through resource mobilization and strengthening of the capacity of AFCAC, to effectively perform its functions as the Executing Agency of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD)/SAATM.
In her opening remarks, the Secretary General of AFCAC Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi noted, “With the renewed impetus at AFCAC, the 6th JPAP meeting would be very unique as we intend to make a paradigm shift from activities based performance to results based performance that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely (SMART) as we accelerate the liberalisation of the African Air Transport Market through the Single African Air Transport Market Pilot Implementation Project (SAATM-PIP) which we strongly believe will set us on the path closer to realising the target of Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) of having fully an African open skies”.
The plan also ensures that member States of SAATM fully implement the immediate measures to effectively operationalize the single African market through elaborate and effective advocacy and communication strategy while seeking technical assistance for member States to improve the level of aviation safety and security to meet the minimum requirements of ICAO SARPs, and attain the global average of Effective Implementation (EI) level while also ensuring that African airlines enhance their cooperation in the operation of SAATM.
Participants at the meeting include: Representative of the SAATM Champion State; representative of the Chairperson of the SAATM Ministerial Working Group; African Union Commission; Regional Economic Communities (RECs); African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); African Airlines Association (AFRAA); United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); African Development Bank (AfDB); ICAO (Regional Offices); International Air Transport Association (IATA); United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); World Bank; European Union/DG-MOVE, EASA; Manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier); Air Navigation Services Provides; ACI Africa; African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG); Association of African Aviation Training Organizations (AATO); Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs) and Regional Aircraft Accident Incident Investigation Organizations (RAIOs); Regional SAATM Ambassadors; African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK); and AFROCHAMPIONS.
