PROGRESS REPORT AUGUST - OCTOBER 2008

A            Summary – Brief

Various meetings were undertaken with interested parties.

(A summary of activities is given below).

B         Meetings

Meetings were held as follows:

1)         The Allied Business Leadership Conference was attended in Johannesburg in September 2008.  Various delegates were briefed on progress being made.

Dr. Elham Ibrahim

                          African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure

                                      Hon. Jeff Radebe

                                  Minister of Transport, South Africa 

                              Mr Gilbert Thwala

             South Africa Department of Transport 

                     Capt. Jordaan (CEO)

                South Africa Civil Aviation Authority

                          Ministry of Transport PS of Nigeria

                       Dr. H.O Demuren

Director General: Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

                                            Fidelis Onyeri

                  Nigeria Civil Aviation Adviser for AFCAC

 Capt. Harry Eggerschwiler

                                              AFRO-CAA

                                      Mr. Jonathan Majakwara

                                               SADAC Delegate

                                     Capt. E.D Boyo

          CEO Aviation & Allied Business Publication

                             Mr Maamoune Chakira

                                         ACI Delegate

2)         A follow-up meeting was held in September 2008, with Kenya’s Ministry of Transport to explain, among other issues, the benefits of AFRO-CAA to Kenya.

3)         A follow-up meeting was also made to Madagascar which has expressed an interest in joining AFRO-CAA.

Francois Randriamahandry

Director General Civil Aviation Madagascar

4)         The AFRO-CAA attended ICAO’s first Accident Investigations Group meeting to be held in 9 years in Montreal.  Various delegates were briefed on the method AFRO-CAA has taken in coordinating member states.

 Various Delegates at  the ICAO AIG meeting – Montreal

5)         The Kenyan delegation in Montreal in particular was briefed on the areas in which they had expressed interest, and a follow-up meeting was made shortly after in Nairobi.

                                    ICAO AIG MEETING

'AFRO-CAA Mwangi C wa Kamau (CEO- ACAA) with Peter Wakahia-Kenya Director  of Aircraft Accident Investigations'

C         Programme Follow-up/Marketing

            No new marketing initiatives were made beyond existing brochures.

D         SADC, EAC, IATA, ECA, AFRAA

            No meetings were held.

E          MOUs Development

1)         The MOUs continue to be disseminated to all African States who have expressed an interest in joining AFRO-CAA.           

2)         It was decided that the French and Arab versions of the MOUs can best be vetted and released only when representatives of French speaking and Arab speaking countries arrive at AFRO-CAA office. (anticipated in 2009).

F          AFCAC/NEPAD/ICAO

1)         Meetings were attended in ICAO Montreal.       

2)         Informal contact was made with AFCAC officials at the Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference meeting.

G         Legal

1)         It was decided that the ACARs could only be vetted and approved once member states representatives arrived at AFRO-CAA offices (anticipated sometime in 2009).

2)         Proposed agreement between AFRO-CAA and Namibia is still awaited from the Namibian Government.

 H         Funding

The current international financial crises is the reason (in part) why further negotiations with interested donors was postponed until early 2009.  At that time it is anticipated clearer direction will be given by donor nations, as to future funding proposals.

I           Any other Business

             The following meetings are scheduled: 

1)      Visit to Durban, South Africa for ICAO AFI meeting in November 2008.

2)      Consultative meeting in November 2008 with Kenya’s Ministry of Transport.