KAMPALA – The 31st African Aviation Extraordinary Plenary Session, the General Assembly of African Aviators has Monday Morning opened at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
This is the first time for Uganda to host such an extraordinary meeting as far the aviation industry is industry.
Managing Director of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Dr. David Kakuuba lauded the AFCAC Secretariat for considering Uganda to host such an important meeting.
He said Uganda is taking advantage of the exposure including other benefits that accrue from hosting such a gathering that attracts key decision and policymakers on the Continent.
Dr. Kakuba who also doubles as the AFCAC Vice President East African Region revealed that Uganda recently acquired an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certification from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.
Uganda, he said is now one of about eight African countries to have attained the standard ahead of the December 2019 deadline set for the at least 60% of African states to have attained it.
He also revealed to meeting that the Korean government through Korean International Cooperation Agency extended a grant worth USD9.5 million towards automation of the systems at Entebbe International Airport and that there are a number of ongoing works for the expansion of the passenger terminal from the internally generated revenue to enhance passenger facilitation and meet the growing traffic needs.
On his part, Mr. Bageya Waiswa, the Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Works and Transport, said Uganda embraced the Open Skies Policy and liberalised air transport industry to include the abolition of royalties on any aviation services, removal of frequency and capacity limitations as well as the introduction of multiple designations of Air Operations.
“We also grant fifth freedom traffic rights on a case by case basis.”
In relation to cargo aircraft movements, he said there no case restrictions at all.
“All these are aimed at fully opening of Uganda’s airspace, which is well in line with the requirements of a single African Air Transport Market.”
Mr. Bageya retaliated Uganda’s commitment to cooperate with AFCAC in fulfillment of all the agreed continental objectives.
AFCAC is an agency of the African Union responsible for Civil Aviation matters in Africa tasked to facilitate cooperation and coordination among the African States towards the development of integrated and sustainable Air transport systems, and foster the implementation of ICAO SARPs and the development of harmonized rules and regulations consistent with the best international practices in civil aviation.
