EASA/ICAO forum results in a new global framework for regional aviation safety oversight organisations and improved cooperation in Africa

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) achieved landmark progress last week as hundreds of officials gathered from around the world for a special jointly organised Global Forum on Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs) for Global Aviation Safety.

Hosted in Ezulwini, Swaziland, on 22-24 March 2017, this important event endorsed a proposal for a new global framework for regional aviation safety oversight and made tremendous progress on key initiatives to improve the recognition, efficiency and cooperation of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations worldwide. The meeting participants also agreed to set up an RSOO coordination platform to facilitate cooperation between RSOOs.

“EASA is proud to propose its support for this new global RSOO framework and platform. This will also add to the support that we have been providing RSOOs worldwide for some years now.” said Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA, at the Global Forum.

In conjunction with the Global Forum, a Ministerial conference with specific focus on Africa was held and  led to the signing of the Ezulwini Declaration of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations in Africa describing how African States will work together to increase their regional cooperation and improve aviation safety oversight continent-wide.

EASA, being at the centre of the regional aviation safety system in Europe, will lend its experience to help further strengthen regional initiatives for the benefit of aviation safety globally, and to reinforce the process of integrating RSOOs into the global regulatory framework. EASA was mentioned as a practical example of how regional aviation safety cooperation brings added value and efficiency to air transport.

More than 200 participants from 48 States and 32 International Organizations attended the event in Swaziland, with 13 Ministers attending the Ministerial event from DRC Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Lesotho, Mauritania, Nigeria, Togo, Sao Tome, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

RSOOs are an integral aspect of global aviation safety, and provide a cost effective mechanism for regional groups of States to pool their resources and strengthen safety oversight.