By Roland Ohaeri
Mr. Romain Ekoto, Chief Aviation Officer of the African Development Bank (AfDB), will assume office as the new Regional Director of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) West and Central Africa (WACAF) Office early April, 2025. This follows his appointment to the WACAF Office by ICAO in January 2025. He replaces Mr. Prosper Zo’o Minto’o, who got a recent appointment as the Director General of the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA).
Mr. Ekoto is back in familiar ground, having served as as a Regional Officer Technical Assistance and Air Transport, ICAO WACAF Office in Dakar from July 2013 to May 2018 before moving to the AfDB. Mr. Ekoto’s sojourn in the AfDB from June 2018 till his new appointment in January 2025 equips him with vital experience and network in the aviation finance industry which he is expected to bring to bear in his new position as Regional Director, ICAO WACAF Office.
According to ICAO, Mr. Ekoto’s new role will involve ensuring interregional coordination and promoting the timely and harmonized implementation of ICAO Strategic Objectives, policies and decisions, within the context of Global and Regional Plans. He will also lead the Regional Office to provide technical guidance and assist States with implementation of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
He will serve as the Representative of the Secretary General to States to which the Regional Office is accredited; develop and lead the implementation of the work programme for the Regional Office, in coordination with Bureaus/Offices at Headquarters; provide technical advice and assistance to States on the development and implementation of Regional planning framework for all the Strategic objectives of the Organization; and coordinate the delivery of ICAO programme activities within the region in collaboration with States, and regional and sub-regional groups.
The new Regional Director will be responsible for the promotion and follow-up of implementation support activities in the Region, and will lead the programme team, inspiring it to translate the regional and country goals into locally adapted solutions and results in line with the overall global plans, strategies and objectives of ICAO.
To this end, Mr. Ekoto will be expected to continue playing a key role in supporting the improvement of Africa’s aviation development projects especially the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which seeks to establish a liberalized air transport market for the benefit of African airlines and economies. He will also provide relevant support to Africa’s quest for the Single African ATM (Air Traffic Management) Sky which is being pursued by African Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs) to establish harmonized ATM facilities and achieve interoperability and efficient air traffic movement among Africa’s Flight Information Regions (FIRs).
