Windhoek Declaration of Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa " Moves to Implementation Stage "

Secretary General of AFCAC, Ms. Iyabo Osina

Ministers responsible for air transport in Africa on Friday, April 8 adopted the ‘Windhoek Declaration of Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa’ at the end of a four-day conference on aviation security and facilitation here.

The conference, organised by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) under the auspices of the African Union Commission brought together more than 20 ministers from AUC member states.

Speaking to the media when he and top officials from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and AFCAC paid a courtesy call on Namibia’s Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on April 8, Namibia’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Willem Goeieman, said the declaration requests commitment to aviation security.

He said this is because of increased terrorist threats and other challenges impacting the continental airlines’ safety and travel. “We had set targets to achieve in line with Agenda 2063 that was already adopted by our Heads of State,” said Goeieman.

Agreed upon at the AU Golden Jubilee of May 2013, Agenda 2063 encourages AU members to by that year rekindle the passion of Pan-Africanism and a sense of unity and self-reliance in highlighting the triumph of the 20th century, while incorporating the AU goal of integration and peace.

Agenda 2063, Goeieman said, makes note of one common passport for all Africans to be issued by 2018 and the abolishment of visas by all member states.

He said the Windhoek Declaration on Aviation Safety will be submitted to Parliament next week, and is expected to be endorsed by the African Union (AU) Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in June/July 2016, to facilitate a systematic evaluation of the implementation of the plan.

During the meeting, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila described the declaration as an important document to Namibia, as the country is part of regional trade and welcomes new developments in the area of aviation security.

“This issue will have prominence in our development plans,” she said. The conference was held under the theme ‘Unbroken African Commitment and Collaboration for a Global Sustainable Aviation Security system and Passenger facilitation’.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said African countries must embrace the Aviation Security Strategy by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

“Namibia is committed towards air traffic safety and continental integration. Africa is fully integrated not just in terms of mining and streamlining our policies but also through fiscal connectivity through infrastructures and air transport infrastructures and regulations thereof is one of those important issues that we need to address,” she said.

Namibia is at an advanced stage to finalise the Aviation Bill, which is set to help the country conform to the required standards. The country has already achieved 67 percent air traffic safety rate, which surpasses the ICAO standard requirement of 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) has tasked Namibia to compile a ministerial declaration’s draft on aviation security to be submitted at the AU Heads of State meeting scheduled in July in Rwanda.

The draft, which is set to address the security shortcomings in the African aviation industry, is also expected to highlight the need to have a single African common market by 2017.

Windhoek Declaration of Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa is considered essential to effective implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, as far as the air transport is concerned. Countries are also expected to come up with plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The declaration was presented to the African ministers responsible for aviation for consideration and possible implementation in their respective countries.

Secretary General of AFCAC, Iyabo Osina, expressed hope that African countries make necessary inputs towards the enhancement of the regional approach being advocated at the meeting in order to address the common challenges through the Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa (AFI SECFAL Plan) and through the effectiveness of the Regional Aviation Security and Facilitation Group.

“We have the determination to ensure that decisions are implemented so that the single common African market can take off by 2017,” she said.

Osina added that the existence of the AFCAC AVSEC Working Group made up of African Aviation Security Experts from member states, some of whom are members of the ICAO AVSEC Panel, has in recent times assisted AFCA in promoting African common positions on security through their effective participation at meetings and in the development working papers.

“I am convinced that we will achieve this purpose for which we are gathered today, in order to assist our policy makers to adopt the report of this meeting and thereby take Africa one notch higher in the achievement of continental security,” she said.

Source ~ Aviation News