ref:                         PROGRESS REPORT AUG 2006 – OCT 2006

A   Summary - Brief

The Agency finalized all documentation in preparation for the 03rd Project Implementation Team (PIT) meeting scheduled for 19thAugust 2006 in Lagos Nigeria.

(A summary of activities is given below).

B Meetings

1. The following are the minutes of the PIT meeting held in Lagos: 

i) Mr.Sama Juma Ignatuis                    Director General, Cameroon CAA

ii) Mr. Mandeng Samuel                    Director, Security and Facilitation Cameroon CAA                                                   Cameroon CAA

iii) Mr Mwangi C wa Kamau              ACAAICEO (Rep Namibia)

iv) Capt. Harry Eggerschwiler           ACAAICOO (Namibia; also Rep. Libya)

v) Dr. H.O. Demuren                         Director General, Nigeria CAA

vi) Mr. A. A Famodimu                      Director, Air Transport Regulation, Nigeria CAA

vii) Mr B Iyankume                           Director, Aerodrome & Airspace Standard, Nigeria CAA

viii) Mr Sam Gaiya                              Company Secretary / Legal Adviser Nigeria CAA

ix) Mrs. Ladidi B Abdulkadir               ALA, Federal Ministry of Aviation

2 In Attandance

x. Mrs A.A Vincent                            - NCAA

xi. Mrs. M.O Oyerinde                       - NCAA

xii. Ms Mary Tufano                          - NCAA

xiii. Mr. S. Adurugboye                    - NCAA

xiv. Mr Lulufa Vongtau                    - NCAA

xv. Mr Pat Agbaeru                            - NCAA

xvi. Mrs E Tanko                               - NCAA

xvii. Mr S. Musa                                 - NCAA

xviii. Mr U Nwosu                             - NCAA

xix. Mr.IDAhmadu                             - NCAA

xx. Miss. D. Uhegbu                          - NCAA

3 Apologies

    Ethiopia and Uganda

4. Matters arising from Previous Minutes

The setting up of AFRO-CAA has been adopted as a cabinet project in Namibia, however, since MoDs are usually signed at government levels, it is suggested that six to seven months time frame would be adequate to enable government append their signatures to the MoD. This is however subject to the advise of members present.

5. Events for Inauguration

The CEO ACAA suggested that there is a need to organize the inauguration ceremony properly to include the speeches of government officials. He also informed members that the Agency regularly gives an update to the media about events within the ACAA.The Chairman stated that ECOWAS countries do not require visa's to cross borders and that the same should be encouraged to be extended to the rest of Africa. The Cameroonian representative advised that the African countries should not make lofty declarations that would not hold in practice. He appealed that countries hosting should always liaise with the relevant authorities such as Immigration to facilitate entrance for representative of member States. The Chairman assured that made had been noted.

6. Co-operation with continental and international organizations

The CEO/ACAA stated that ACAA visited IMF, World Bank in Washington and the ADB where it was suggested that the AFRO-CAA should co-ordinate its activities with the COSCAP. ACAA has already handed in the needed budget for continental/regional headquarters to finance the facility. The Chairman stated that participation at the Regional Safety Initiative is crucial in order to remove obstructions and delays which do not really promote safety. He also stated that the Global safety roadmap for Africa is important for the sub-region and should be adopted by AFRO-CAA as it affect Annexes 1, 6 and 8 of the ICAO Chicago Convention.

Furthermore, he informed that the COSCAP programme had made a lot of progress and they conducted a mock safety audit for Nigeria recently. Cameroon informed that it is glad that Africa is awakening to its responsibility and would recommend strongly that even without the AFRO-CAA, the sharing safety information amongst African countries should be encouraged.

The Chairman intimated that the Nigeria CAA would be opening its website which would convey vital safety information that could assist AFRO-CAA. He also advised that the AFRO -CAA should resist political interference in matters of safety regulations.

7. Co-operation with existing initiatives

The CEO/ACAA stated that the current co-operation is mainly with COSCAP because they are already inexistence. He further informed that in order to effectively fund AFRO-CAA, it must co-operate with COSCAP.

In his remarks, the representative of Cameroon stated that COSCAP is currently being implemented within the CEMAC region which has its regional headquarters at N'djamena. He also stated the importance of funding as there is a need to support AFRO-CAA, if it is to meet its obligations.

8. Identification of Funding: Source

The CEO/ACAA expressed that there is a bit of concern about duplication of duties between AFRO-CAA and AFCAC and a lot of meetings have been held to resolve the issues. He advised that funding can be gotten trom ADB with NEPAD's support. He also informed that AFRO-CAA staff could be seconded from the various CAAs to reduce the cost of permanent staffing.

The CEO/ACAA informed that Namibia had agreed to fund the ACAA up to about 170,000 USD per annum and has been doing so for the past two years. It was agreed that the regions should pay up their 40,000 USD per annum for the ACAA to undertake a similar programme at similar level as it has done at continental level.

9. Communication and Time Framework

In order to meet up with the time set for the inauguration of the AFRO-CAA, it was agreed by the participating States that the legal advisers meet tentatively in the last week of November, 2006 to finalize the MoUs. This will show seriousness on the part of the States CAA's and will make it easy for States to get their Ministers to attend the inauguration. Prior to the meeting of the legal advisers, States are to forward their observations made on the MoUs to the African Civil Aviation Agency (ACAA) for harmonization. This will ease the work to be done when they meet in November, 2006. It was therefore agreed that these observations be forwarded to the ACAA by the last week of September, 2006.

10. Any Other Business

Clarification of Admin-Structure

The Chairman sought clarification on the administrative structure of AFRO-CAA to which the CEO/ACAA informed that it should continue to make use of the existing staff and thereafter adopt the EU/JAA process until more permanent arrangements are put in place.

It was also agreed that the initiating States exercise grand-farther rights in the area of secondment of personnel taking a cue from Asia and Europe who have initiated or promoted similar projects. The Cameroonian DG, CAA advised that care should be exercised over grand-farther rights so as not to discourage joining States. However, other States who may join the group later on will be carried along in order to ensure regional integration. The Chairman informed that this issue will be raised at the upcoming meeting of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) that is scheduled to hold in Accra in September, 2006.

He also informed that the next matter to be looked at seriously will be on Security, as our industry develops, there are tendencies that we will experience more security threats and therefore must be mindful of our environments.

It was further emphasized that the group needs to take into consideration the issue of Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) and Liberalization within the African States if they must integrate. It is therefore the business of the participating States to ensure that other African States join the group in order to realize the groups objectives. Also raised by the Chairman was whether the African Civil Aviation Authority, AFRO-CAA should be regarded as an Agency or Authority. It was agreed that it was more preferable to use Agency instead of Authority. The CEO/ACAA also informed that he had no objection to that. It was therefore agreed that the organization be referred to as an Agency in order to preserve the sovereignty of member States as provided for by ICAO.

Nigeria raised the issue of the Headquarters agreement and the diplomatic status of its staff and it was agreed that this should be tabled at the Legal Advisers Meeting for the last week of November, 2006. The CEO/ACAA explained that the issue of diplomatic status for the staff of the AFRO-CAA was discussed in Namibia after consultation with other UN Agencies and were advised that the status would be finalized once the Agency comes into existence.

11. The Next Meeting:

It was agreed that the inauguration of ACAA would take place in March, 2007 in Namibia.

C    Programme Follow-up/Marketing:

a) A visit was made to the South Africa CAA and discussions were held with:

                              - Zakes Myeza - Chief Executive Officer

                              - Gilbert Thwala - Executive Manager Safety & Occurrences

                           The SACAA was also briefed on the upcoming legal advisors    meeting              meeting scheduled for November 2006 in Johannesburg.

b) A visit was made to the Ethiopia CAA and discussions held with: -

                           - Juneydi Saddo - Ministerof Transport&Communication

                           - Mesfm Fikru - Director General Ethiopia CAA

                           - Tefera Makonnen - Immediate past Ag DG of ECAA

They were very supportive of the initiative and stated that their Legal Advisors would be attending the November 2006meeting in Johannesburg.

D SADC. EAC. lATA. ECA. AFRAA

Informational circulars are to be sent to each of the above after the legal advisors meeting. This is as per the minutes of PIT meetings.

E MOUs Development

The English, French and Arabic versions of the MOUs are complete and ready both in electronic and hard copy versions.

F AFCAC/NEPAD/ICAO

Informational circulars are to be sent to each of the above after the legal advisors meeting as per the minutes of PIT meetings.

G Legal

The Legal Advisors meeting of November 2006 remained on schedule and the States have forwarded the names of their officers who will be attending.

H Funding

The status remains unchanged from the last meeting.

I Another business

Nil