AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION COMMISSION (AFCAC) 23Rd AFCAC PLENARY SESSION (Accra, Ghana, 2-5 April, 2013)
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WP/6-AFCAC 23rd Plenary AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION COMMISSION (AFCAC) 23rd AFCAC PLENARY SESSION (Accra, Ghana, 2-5 April, 2013) Agenda Item 4: Report of the Technical Committee (Presented by the Chairman of the Technical Committee) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This working paper presents a summary of the activities of the Technical Committee of AFCAC on Technical areas, including the Work Programme for the triennium (2010-2013). The reports of the Technical Committee meetings are attached to this working paper (appendix A and Appendix B) 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The AFCAC Technical Committee met twice during the triennium in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2-3 June 2011 and in Dakar, Senegal from 1-2 November, 2012. At these two meetings different aviation activities were discussed in line with the approved Work Programme as defined by the 21st Plenary Session in Chad, N’djamena (11-13 May 2010). 1.2 In implementing the AFCAC 21st Plenary Resolutions relating to the Work Programme of the Technical Committee, the Secretariat has been involved in organizing meetings and conferences on topical issues in order to defend and advance African interests. 1.3 The different technical meetings covered deliberations on regional challenges and initiatives, training, lack of adequately trained and skilled personnel, safety of air transport, capacity building and need for government and industry cooperation, regional and national planning and cooperation. 1.4 The Work Programme for the Triennium 2010 – 2013 includes carefully selected strategic objectives as outlined below. 2. WORK PROGRAMME (2010 – 2013) (Strategic Objective B-safety) 2.1 Due to the new development of improving aviation safety in member States, the approved Work Programme for the triennium has been aligned to incorporate the Aviation Safety targets as approved in Abuja. 3 AFI COOPERATIVE INSPECTORATE SCHEME (AFI-CIS). 3.1 The 22nd AFCAC (Extraordinary) Plenary Session held in December 2010 in Dakar, Senegal reviewed and supported the Proposal for the Establishment and Management of an AFI 1 WP/6-AFCAC 23rd Plenary Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (AFI-CIS) as agreed by the AFCAC/ ICAO joint meeting on the Improvement of Aviation Safety in Africa which was held in Dakar, Senegal from 17 – 19 August, 2010. The Plenary adopted the project which aims to establish a pool of African Safety Experts and deploy them to States which have challenges in rectifying safety deficiencies identified during USOAP audit. 3.2 Following the finalization of registration of available Safety Inspectors and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding of the Scheme by member States, the AFI-CIS pilot project was launched by AFCAC with the technical assistance of ICAO in August 2011. 3.3 The aim of the AFI-CIS project is to create a pool of qualified and experienced Aviation Safety Inspectors from within the AFI Region to provide assistance to African States in addressing their safety oversight deficiencies with emphasis and priority given to States identified with Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) and those currently on the Monitoring and Assistance Review Board (MARB). Assistance will also be provided to States in resolving safety oversight deficiencies in general and reduce Lack of Effective implementations (LEIs). 3.4 In order to optimize resources and monitor the outcomes of the AFI-CIS, the overall program is aligned with other Regional Resolutions and that of the expectations of Partners including ICAO, which are taking active part through technical assistance whenever deemed necessary. 3.5 The progress made in the establishment and implementation of the Scheme will be discussed under agenda item 6 (Progress Report on the Implementation of AFI-CIS WP/3). 4. AFRICAN CIVIL AVIATION POLICY (AFCAP) 4.1 The Second Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport which was held in Luanda in November 2011 and the AU Heads of State Summit, adopted the new African Civil Aviation Policy (AFCAP) with a commitment to implement all aspects of the Policy relating to Aviation safety, security, sustainability of air transport and the environment etc. and its Report was endorsed by the 18th AU Assembly through Decision Ex. Cl/Dec.682 (XX). 4.2 AFCAP provides a framework and the platform for the formulation, collaboration and integration of national and multinational initiatives/programmes in various aspects of civil aviation including safety. The AFCAP is thus, an overarching framework document which enlists and consolidates the political commitment of African States to work together through an agreed roadmap with the purpose of positioning Africa’s air transport in the global economy. The policy provides appropriate empowerment of national and regional technical bodies to enable them carry out their responsibilities effectively. 4.3 AFCAC has sensitized States at different fora to immediately implement the safety strategies contained therein. AFCAC has also setup a follow-up mechanism for monitoring achievements of the targets for aviation safety in Africa. 2 WP/6-AFCAC 23rd Plenary 5. MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON AVIATION SAFETY IN AFRICA (Abuja, Nigeria, from 16 to 20 July 2012) 5.1 As result of the compelling need to continuously improve aviation safety in Africa and the urgent need to find immediate and sustainable resolutions to deficiencies in safety oversight, AFCAC with the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria and ICAO organized the Ministerial Conference on Aviation Safety in Africa. At the end of the Conference the Abuja Declaration on Aviation Safety in Africa was adopted by the Conference of Ministers which was later endorsed by Governments and Heads of State 5.2 The Declaration detailed high level commitments by the Ministers to provide a common frame of reference on aviation safety initiatives and aviation Safety Targets for implementation within the AFI region. 5.3 The targets were formulated by taking into account, both the current and emerging issues relating to aviation safety. 6. SAFETY TARGETS 6.1 The Safety Targets, as endorsed by the African Ministers responsible for Aviation were developed on the basis of targets previously adopted from major events/conferences (i.e. African Union, AFCAC, ICAO, AFI Regional Air Navigation meetings, the Global Aviation Safety Plan etc.), and the various initiatives and recommendations aimed at assisting States to ensure Effective Implementations (EI) of their safety oversight obligations that have been held in Africa over the last six years. The newly identified emerging issues that may threaten aviation safety in the African region are also included in the Safety Targets, (see Appendix C). 6.2 The Targets are also aligned with the ICAO Strategic Objectives for safety which were recently introduced in ICAO Work Programmes. The aim is to revise, streamline and to bring up-to-date in a consolidated manner, all these elements on a single continental page of reference. 6.3 These targets are considered realistic, achievable and measurable. The focus in their formulation is directed to States for their ownership with the implied involvement of continental/sub-regional bodies, aviation stakeholders and partners. 6.4 Political will and support was demonstrated at the Ministerial Conference on Aviation Safety and this will significantly help in the implementation of aviation safety in the AFI region, to strengthen regulatory oversight and enhance safety performance. The political support demonstrated during the Conference is seen as an important element for achieving the Safety Targets within the time lines as indicated in the Plan of Action on Aviation Safety in Africa. 7. ROLE OF AFCAC IN THE AFI PLAN 7.1 AFCAC is closely coordinating its efforts with ICAO to ensure optimum benefits to aviation safety in Africa. AFCAC has the mandate to address safety issues in Africa considering the Libreville Resolution and Plan of Action adopted by the African Union member States’ Ministers Responsible for Air Transport in May 2006, whereby the Ministers undertook to 3 WP/6-AFCAC 23rd Plenary reduce the rate of aircraft accidents in Africa to the world average. From the above ICAO developed the AFI Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (AFI-CIS). 7.2 The AFI Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme, spearheaded by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and supported by ICAO, was launched with Assistance Missions to States with Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs). 7.3 The involvement of AFCAC is to assist States to overcome identified deficiencies and, in general, in the implementation of the AFI Plan through the AFI Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (AFI-CIS) .The initial focus is to provide assistance to African States in addressing their safety oversight deficiencies with emphasis and priority given to States identified with SSCs and those currently on the Monitoring and Assistance Review Board (MARB). AFCAC is also designated as one of the Safety Champions for SSC in the RASG-AFI Steering Committee (RASC) 8. COORDINATION WITH REGIONAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT ORGANIZATIONS (RSOO) 8.1 AFCAC coordinated with RSOOs/COSCAPs to promote exchanges of reports on work carried out with the aim of facilitating follow-up activities. This resulted in the joint AFI-CIS/ BAGASOO Mission to Guinea. It raised hope that this type of coordination will continue with other RSOOs for joint Assistance Missions in the future. 9. TECHNICAL COOPERATION 9.1 AFCAC organized many courses to train personnel in Aviation Safety in collaboration with Training Institutions in order to enhance safety level in conformity with ICAO