PROGRESS REPORT AUG 2007 – OCT  2007

A            Summary – Brief

Several successful meetings were held with Stakeholders, Donors and African States interested in joining the  AFRO-CAA.

(A summary of activities is given below).

B         Meetings

Meetings were held as follows:

1)         AAMAC –  Latta Dokisime Gnama,  Nairobi,  July  and  a  follow-up  meeting  in  Montreal  in September

2007.    It was agreed that AAMAC and AFRO-CAA would cooperate in their objectives and keep each other briefed on progress.

2)         Briefings were given to Director-Generals of the following African States, who have expressed an interest in the AFRO-CAA.

§         Algeria –  Director General

§         Angola – Helder Preza

§         Botswana – Hon. Frank Jack Ramsden & Olefile B Moakofi

§         Chad – Guelpina Ceubah

§         Congo – D Manu Mahoungou

§         Egypt – Pilot. Ehab Sadek & Shawky Elazab & Nav Nagy Saleh & Ibrahim Mahmoud Negm

§         Ghana – Twumasi-Ankra Selby & Gloria Afua Akuffo

§         Ivory Coast – Jean Kouassi Abonouan

§         Kenya – C.A Kuto & G.M Ikiara (Permanent Secretary, Transport Ministry)

§         Libya – Mohamed O Abughres

§         Madagascar – Halidou Moussa

§         Russia – Igor M Lysenko

§         Senegal – Minister Farba Senghor

§         Tunisia – Hamadi Ben Khelifa

§         Zambia – Hon. Sarah Sayifwanda, MP

§         Zimbabwe – Hon. C.C Mushohwe (MP)

3)         The following organizations also came forward and         and were briefed.

EU, ATAG, EASA, FAA, ECAC, EURO CONTROL, ASECNA, Worldbank

4)         The following AFRO-CAA Member States ‘ICAO Permanent representatives where also briefed on the AFRO-CAA Inauguration.

·         Cameroon – Samuel Mandeng

·         Ethiopia – Tefera Makonnen

·         Libya – Mohamed O Abughres

·         Nigeria – Dr. O.B Aliu

5)         The first AFRO-CAA Board Meeting was held on 18^th September 2007. Dr. Harold Demuren of Nigeria was elected Chairman of the Board for 03 years.

C         Programme Follow-up/Marketing

1)         A new updated DVD on the AFRO-CAA History was commissioned for release & distribution by 31^st October 2007.

2)         Several international news media organization visited with the Offices and/or gave the AFRO-CAA wide coverage following the Inauguration.  Amongst them where NBC, BBC, Pan African Parliament, German Radio, SABC, French Radio, etc.

D         SADC, EAC, IATA, ECA, AFRAA

1)         The ICAO SADC representative Mr B.T Mujetenga remains fully briefed on developments taking place on the AFRO-CAA. 

2)                  The IATA Safety Assistant Director for Africa Safety Operations and Infrastructure – Tanja Grobotek requested a briefing on the AFRO-CAA.  A meeting was held with her in Johannesburg and various documents presented to her.

3)         AFRAA Secretary General Christian Folly-Kossi and Technical Director Elijah Chingosho where also briefed on the Inauguration of the AFRO-CAA.

E          MOUs Development

Appendix 6 & 7 were adopted at the first Board meeting and translated into English, French and Arabic.  The complete Appendices are given below

APPENDIX 6

TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

6.1               The transition said in paragraph 18.2 and appendix 4.2 is extended from one to three years.

6.2               The Secretariat shall act accordingly as stipulated in the AFRO-CAA Agreement during the transition period.

APPENDIX 7

COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL AVIATION INITIATIVES

7.1         Pursuant of Appendix 3.6, the AFRO-CAA commits itself to co-operate with the aims of 

            ICAO and AFCAC.                             

7.2         To this end the Secretariat shall avail a record of this Agreement to ICAO and AFCAC.

7.3         The Secretariat shall also consult and inform ICAO and AFCAC on developments in the

AFRO-CAA.

F          AFCAC/NEPAD/ICAO

1)         A meeting was held in July with AU Commissioner, Dr. Bernard Zoba & Transport Specialist Alberto Adiron regarding the AFRO-CAA.  He communicated that the AU will consult with AFCAC and then formally communicate on the recognition of the AFRO-CAA.

2)         A meeting was held in Midrand, South Africa, in July 2007 with NEPAD’s Transport Advisor:  Godwin Punungwe, where NEPAD agreed to continue to support the AFRO-CAA.

3)         A meeting was held on the 19^th September 2007, with AFCAC’s President & Secretary -  C.A Kuto and Djibo Boubacar.  They reiterated that in accordance with ICAO resolution A29-13 AFCAC supports initiatives such as the AFRO-CAA which seek to enhance cooperation between various States.

4)         A Presentation Note was handed to Lisa Boivert for presentation to ICAO Secretary General Taib Cherif and to the ICAO Council for formal recognition of the AFRO-CAA.  The ICAO Council will be meeting in November 2007.  ICAO Human Resources also forwarded the personnel and salary structure for study by the AFRO-CAA.

G         Legal

1)         A formal proclamation by the Namibian President to formulize AFRO-CAA functions in Namibia was completed and forwarded to the office of the President by Namibia’s Attorney-General.

2)         A formal Head Quarters Agreement between the Namibian Government and AFRO-CAA was completed and the Attorney-Generals Office was endeavoring to have it approved by October 31, 2007.

3)                  Several States have completed their ratification process of the AFRO-CAA Agreement.

H         Funding

1)         Several international organizations and African states committed themselves in providing funding for the AFRO-CAA.

            2)         Officials of the following countries were also                        and approached on the same.

                        *  China – Ding Chunyu & Dr. Fang Liu

                        *  India – Mr Ashok Chawla & Mr K Gohain

I           Any other Business

            The upcoming follow-up meetings are to be held

1.                   AU, AFCAC, Kenya in Addis Ababa & Nairobi in November 2007.

2.                   The AFRO-CAA will be attending EU, AU Summit of Heads of State in Lisbon in December 2007