Namibian PM Urges Africa To Embrace ICAO’s Aviation Security Strategy

Namibian Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, has declared that: “Africa urgently needs to embrace the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO’s) Comprehensive Aviation Security Strategy. This includes developments in risk assessment, innovation and cyber security.” She said this at the Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa held recently in Windhoek, Namibia.

“Security is without a doubt the backbone of social and economic development in any country and Africa needs to embrace the ICAO Comprehensive Aviation Security Strategy without delay,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila told aviation experts and policy makers from across the continent, who have been gathering in Windhoek since Monday for the conference.

“The current global acts of terrorism are in most instances carried out through the civil aviation mode of transport. Africa is, of course not immune to such developments,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said, adding that she was pleased to note recent developments on the continent are keeping abreast with best practices in aviation security. A ministerial declaration at the conclusion of the conference, is expected to be submitted by Namibia for an African Union Heads of State meeting scheduled for July this year.

Also speaking at the occasion, Hany Yehia Eladawy, President of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) called for stronger cooperation on issues of aviation security. “This way, we will be working towards ensuring there is no weak link in the global aviation security chain,” he noted. This is in the face of recent ICAO statistics which show that overall, available air transport capacity increased by 5.3% in December 2015, compared to the same period in 2014. Similarly, in Africa, air transport capacity expanded by 7.8% over the same period.