CANSO advocate regional collaboration and innovation to achieve safe, seamless and sustainable ATM in Africa

CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, advocates strong regional collaboration and the acceleration of innovation to improve the performance of air traffic management (ATM) in Africa.

The CANSO Africa Conference, CANSO’s annual regional event dedicated to the transformation of ATM in Africa, is being held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 2-6 September. The theme is ‘Towards a seamless African sky and its impact on the next generation of aviation professionals’, and the event is exploring the latest challenges and opportunities in Africa and how regional collaboration and innovation can improve aviation in the region.

The event was opened today by Simon Hocquard, Director General of CANSO, the host, Hamza Johari, Director General of Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority and CANSO CEO Committee (AFC3) Chair, Keziah Ogutu, Regional Officer, ATM, Eastern and South African Office at ICAO, and the Honourable. Eng. Isack Kamwelwe, (M.P) Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications. These remarks outlined the importance of aviation in Africa and the vital role of collaboration between service providers, States and regulators and modernisation in delivering efficient and effective connectivity.

Led by industry key players and experts, the conference is exploring the potential partnerships and operational and technological innovation required to achieve a seamless sky in Africa and secure a high-performance workforce in the future. Key enablers addressed include harmonisation and interoperability, air traffic flow management (ATFM), performance based navigation (PBN), aviation system block upgrades (ASBUs), safety management systems (SMS), collaborative decision-making (CDM) and human factors. Strong regional collaboration and a commitment to innovation have been identified as the key drivers of such progress.

Simon Hocquard, Director General of CANSO, said: “As Africa continues to experience rapid growth in air traffic, it is vital that the ATM industry works together ensure consistent, high levels of service provision across the region. The CANSO Africa Conference provides an important forum for service providers and suppliers to discuss key issues, share experience and expertise, and find common solutions. As the CANSO Africa ATM Safety Peer Review Initiative, Mombasa ATFM Roadmap, and joint CANSO/ICAO efforts on ASBU implementation show, the region is already making huge strides. But we need to continue to grow these collaborative initiatives and accelerate the adoption of innovative procedures and technologies if we are to achieve safe, seamless, and sustainable ATM both now and in the future.”

Honourable. Eng. Isack Kamwelwe, (M.P) Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications: “I feel deeply honoured to participate in this important Conference on air transport, for which, this year, Tanzania has been privileged to host… The anticipated rise in air transportation and rapid transformation of aviation technology call for aviation authorities and air traffic control agencies to look for better ways to control and offer better services to sustain the sector, and it is my sincere hope that deliberations of this meeting will help to shape the industry.”

Hamza Johari, Director General of Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, Chair, CANSO CEO Committee (AFC3):“The TCAA is honoured to host the CANSO Africa Conference 2019. CANSO provides a vital network in the region and is an important vehicle for change in Africa. Through CANSO, the ATM community is working together to address common problems and implement targeted measures that can transform ATM. I look forward working further with my colleagues on this throughout this week, and exploring what we can do to build a strong future for ATM in Africa.”