Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was the venue for IATA’s Focus Africa event, which culminated in the launch of the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP). The program, a key component of IATA’s Focus Africa initiative, aims to reduce accident and serious incident rates across the continent.
Recognizing the importance of collaboration, CASIP brings together prominent partners such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA). By pooling resources and expertise, CASIP will prioritize critical safety concerns in Africa and mobilize the necessary resources to address them effectively.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, highlights the broader impact of enhancing aviation safety in Africa, emphasizing that safe and reliable air connectivity plays a vital role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Walsh affirms the need for governments across the continent to prioritize aviation as an integral part of their national development strategies. Moreover, he expresses hope that other stakeholders will join the CASIP effort, considering the substantial benefits at stake.
At the core of safety improvement efforts lies the effective utilization of global safety standards. IATA stresses the importance of implementing ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS), indicating that there is room for improvement in this regard. In 2022, only 28 out of 54 African states achieved an effective implementation rate of 60% or higher for ICAO SARPS.
As part of CASIP, the partners will identify operational safety deficiencies and implement corrective action plans. They will conduct safety training and workshops across the continent while promoting a data-driven approach to safety performance. This includes making safety data accessible to decision-makers and ensuring efficient reporting of accidents and incidents.
Walsh emphasizes the priority given to improving safety performance in Africa, citing successful collaborative safety teams in Latin America as examples of the positive impact that can be achieved when governments and industry work together to implement global standards. By combining resources and expertise, the CASIP partners aspire to make significant advancements in areas where risks can be mitigated, leading to measurable improvements in safety.
While focusing on aviation matters in Ethiopia, IATA also calls on the government to swiftly resolve the issue of blocked airline funds totaling $95 million. This situation poses a threat to the country’s connectivity, which has been recovering strongly from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. IATA underscores the importance of adhering to international agreements to maintain global air connectivity and urges the Ethiopian government to work collaboratively with the industry to resolve the matter promptly. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, expresses confidence in the airline’s performance, highlighting its recovery from the pandemic and projecting significant growth for the fiscal year.
Key Highlights:
- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveils the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) as part of its Focus Africa initiative to decrease accident rates across the continent.
- CASIP aims to strengthen aviation’s economic contribution in Africa by addressing safety concerns through collaboration with partners such as ICAO, AFCAC, FAA, Boeing, and AASA.
- IATA emphasizes the importance of prioritizing aviation as an integral part of national development strategies, highlighting the potential benefits of improved aviation safety for Africa’s economies and societies.