By Roland Ohaeri
The ninth edition of the Africa-Indian Ocean Aviation Week (AFI Aviation Week) will be held in Gabon, from July 15 to 19, 2024. The AFI-Week, which is holding weeks after the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Second Meeting of African Directors General and Heads of Civil Aviation held in Arusha, Tanzania, 5-7 June 2024, is expected to build on the outcomes of the AFCAC DGCAs Meeting to reinvigorate the pace of aviation development in Africa’s over the next one year.
The AFI-Week which mainly involves the policy and regulatory aspects of civil aviation is expected to push further the penetration of air transport liberalization in Africa – which is being driven by the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), and foster improved support and funding of critical aspects of civil aviation in Africa. As the last emerging aviation and economic frontier, Africa remains the region with the largest aviation and economic growth potential, and concerted action is need to unlock Africa’s aviation potential to create concrete economic benefits globally. Ipso facto, the outcome of the AFI-Week is expected to be transformed into political actions and driven by increased political will urgently needed among African States to enhance aviation and economic development in Africa.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), “The main objective of the AFI Aviation Week is to engage policy makers, regulators, operators and development partners in finding solutions to address the identified challenges through the implementation of a joint programme to improve aviation safety, security and facilitation, airport and air navigation infrastructure, economic development of air transport and environmental protection in Africa.”
Discussions at the AFI-Week will be led by the top leadership of global and African civil aviation, including Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of ICAO Council; Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO; and Captain of the Ship Dieudonné Loïc Ndinga Moudouma, Minister of Transport, Gabon, as well as Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of AFCAC and Mr. Silas Udahemuka, President of AFCAC among other top-level aviation officials and experts.
The AFI Week will feature several high-level events to discuss aviation development in Africa, including the Tenth Meeting of the Directors General of Civil Aviation of the Africa-Indian Ocean Region
(AFI-DGCA/10), whose objective is to “review latest developments in aviation, the evolution of the aviation performance in all ICAO strategic objectives in the AFI Region, key priorities and issues related to capacity building in the region.”
The AFI-Week will also feature the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Safety in Africa (AFI Plan), with the objective “to review activities of the AFI Plan and the AFI SECFAL Plan, and in particular, consider the report of the implementation of the two Plans 2023 and 2024 work programmes and projects; review and discuss the 2025-2030 programmes documents and projects, including organizational and governance in line with the OIO’s AFI Plan audit recommendations; and provide guidance as appropriate.”
The event in Libreville will also involve the Thirteenth Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa (AFI SECFAL Plan), which has the objective to “to review activities of the AFI Plan and the AFI SECFAL Plan, and in particular, consider the report of the implementation of the two Plans 2023 and 2024 work programmes and projects; review and discuss the 2025-2030 programmes documents and projects, including organizational and governance in line with the OIO’s AFI Plan audit recommendations; and provide guidance as appropriate.”
Moreover, the AFI Aviation Symposium will also be held during the AFI-Week “to discuss various initiatives in and for Africa, share success stories and challenges, and agree on relevant strategies to further enhance aviation performance in the region. The symposium will also discuss issues related to the implementation in all ICAO Strategic Objectives (Safety, Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency, Aviation Security, Economic Development of Air Transport and Environmental Protection).”
Furthermore, the last day of the AFI-Week will feature The Extraordinary Meeting of the AFI Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APIRG) and the Regional Aviation Safety Group for the AFI Region (RASG-AFI), which, according to ICAO, will “consider the enhancement of APIRG and RASG-AFI Structure as called by the APIRG/26 & RASG-AFI/9 Decision 5/05. The meeting will discuss and agree on the proposals developed by the Secretariat for a revised structure and new Working Methods of the two Groups, as well as the consequential transitional arrangements.”
The AFI-Week will be attended by Africa’s Directors General and Heads of Civil Aviation Authorities, representatives from partner States, international and regional organizations, aviation stakeholders and industry.
The previous editions of the AFI-Week held in various African cities and the last edition held in Nairobi, Kenya. The AFI-Week has contributed remarkably to improving Africa’s safety, security and environmental performance, by especially strengthening the adoption of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and highlighting resources available to support States improve their aviation development. Several African States have also significantly improved the Effective Implementation (EI) Critical Elements of Safety.
