PROGRESS REPORT FEB - APRIL 2009

 A            Summary – Brief 

Three important meetings were held in Namibia, Kenya and Switzerland, regarding funding, increased membership and the objectives of the AFRO-CAA.

(A summary of activities is given below).

 B          Meetings

 1.

          (a)         The African Union Commission and European E                    Commission together with the government of the     R                    Republic of Namibia, invited the AFRO-CAA to the E                    EU-African Conference, which was held in in                       Windhoek, Namibia on the 02^nd – 03^rd April 2009.

b)         The EU-Africa Aviation Conference is the result of a political commitment taken by Mr Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the European Commission and Daniel Calleja – Director of Transport of the European Commission and Dr. Elham Ibrahim, the African Union Commissioner in charge of infrastructure, to launch a new EU-AU partnership on civil aviation.  An extensive number of issues were discussed and concluded at the meeting.  Among them were:

c)         -   Market and regulatory developments in aviation in Africa and the EU in a global context.

 - Development trends in the airline industry

- Aviation Safety and security policies

- Airport Infrastructure needs and investment opportunities

-  Air Traffic management and technological and industrial co-operation

- Environmental aspects of aviation

-  EU-Africa cooperation on civil aviation

(Minister of Works  and  Transport  Hon. Helmut Angula,

 opened the meeting and Welcomed all delegates

 Mr Antonio Tajani,

Vice President  of the EU-Commission welcomed all Delegates

(Dr. Elham M.A. IbrahimThe African Union Commissioner, also attended and welcomed all Delegates

Mr. Daniel Calleja

Director of Transport European Commission, Master of Ceremonies  of the meeting, and wished a successful result of this meeting

 (K.W Kauaria, Under-Secretary of Transport, and Daniel Calleja Director of Transport of the European Commission discussed and resolved the Commissions concerns about Namibia’s aviation safety record)

Capt. Harry Eggerschwiler from AFRO-CAA and Mr. Daniel Calleja Director of Transport European Commission discussed the Commissions concerns about Namibia’s aviation Safety record

(ICAO Experts working for the Government of Namibia also attended the meeting

Cameroon Delegation and Regional Headquarter for Central Africa of AFRO-CAA attended the meeting

Ethiopian Delegation and the Regional Headquarter for East Africa of AFRO-CAA attended the meeting

Mr Patrick Goudo, Director of EASA, European Safety Agency attended the meeting

Mr Gaiya, Legal Advisor of AFCAC and former Legal Advisor of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority

Capt.Collin F. Jordaan attended  and brought many suggestions forward to this meeting

Mr Lukovski from the, Namibian NAC(Namibian Airports Company) attended the meeting and was pleasantly surprised at all this different issues raised in this meeting

  Capt. Mohamud Sheik Ali Director of Somalia  Civil Aviation Authority attended the meeting)

Alexander Manakos Manager of Lufthansa consulting also attended the meeting)

Raphael E.Kuuchi Director of AFRAA( African Air line Association)  also attended the meeting and made a presentation.)

 Tshepo Peege  ICAO representative for South African Civil Aviation Authority also attended the meeting)

 (The Spanish Director Eugenia B.Heredia of the Spanish  Civil Aviation attended this meeting and was very interested because there is  some cooperation between Spain and Namibia in the Fish Industries

(The meeting was closed on 17h00 on Friday, 03^rd April 2009)

2.         A visit was made to Kenya for follow-up discussions to the meetings held in 2008.  It was agreed that further meetings will be held in May or June 2009 regarding Kenya’s membership and the AFRO-CAA.

(Mwangi C wa Kamau visited Kenya for discussions on AFRO-CAA membership)

3.         Various meetings were held in Switzerland in which funding for the AFRO-CAA was discussed.

C         Programme Follow-up/Marketing

The follow-up meeting to be held in Windhoek regarding the quarterly magazine was postponed to late May 2009 due to unforeseen circumstances.

D         SADC, EAC, IATA, ECA, AFRAA

Meetings are scheduled with South Africa in June for continued discussion on membership with the AFRO-CAA.

E          MOUs Development

Interested African States have forwarded the MOUs for approval to their appropriate authorities.  This is a lengthy process but we were assured it is given due diligence by all member states given the urgency required to prove the aviation record in Africa.

F          AFCAC/NEPAD/ICAO

             No new meetings were held but AFCAC was at the e              Forefront of urging the AFRO-CAA to attend first EU  U          AU Conference which was held in Windhoek.

G         Legal

No new reports were received from member states.

H         Funding

Funds were finally secured to engage international firms interested in seeking funds for the AFRO-CAA.  Those funds are scheduled to be available by mid-May 2009.

I           Any other Business

            Visits are scheduled to all member states commencing in  u           June and also to Europe and to the United States shortly e               thereafter.