African skies must become safer: PM

THE barring of over 60 African airlines from flying to airports in Europe due to a lack of safety standards painted a worrying picture of the safety of African skies, Prime Minister Nahas Angula said yesterday.

Speaking at the launch of the African Civil Aviation Agency, the Prime Minister said it was time for African countries to develop strategies to improve air safety standards and reduce the number of plane crashes on the continent. “We should not wait for our partners outside Africa to compel us to adhere to international standards.We need to do this ourselves with their help,” Angula stated.The African Civil Aviation Agency (Afro-CAA) will have its headquarters in Windhoek with five regional offices in South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Libya and Ethiopia.The transport and aviation ministers of all those countries except South Africa attended the launch of the Agency yesterday and they signed an agreement that will serve as legal basis for the organisation.The agency will address the deficiencies in aviation laws of African states, issue licences and certificates to airports, carry out aircraft surveillance and perform audits of aircraft maintenance organisations.Technical staff, such as flight-safety inspectors, will also be trained.All activities will follow the aviation code of the International Aviation Organisation (ICAO).”We should not wait for our partners outside Africa to compel us to adhere to international standards.We need to do this ourselves with their help,” Angula stated.The African Civil Aviation Agency (Afro-CAA) will have its headquarters in Windhoek with five regional offices in South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, Libya and Ethiopia.The transport and aviation ministers of all those countries except South Africa attended the launch of the Agency yesterday and they signed an agreement that will serve as legal basis for the organisation.The agency will address the deficiencies in aviation laws of African states, issue licences and certificates to airports, carry out aircraft surveillance and perform audits of aircraft maintenance organisations.Technical staff, such as flight-safety inspectors, will also be trained.All activities will follow the aviation code of the International Aviation Organisation (ICAO).