Lagos The International Air Transport Association, IATA, has renewed its call for African governments to focus on adoption and adherence to global standards to ensure a safe, efficient and integrated air transport system. IATA maintained that connectivity is critical for African growth and development, supporting some 6.7 million jobs and $68 billion in economic activity. Speaking at the 45th Annual General Assembly in Mombasa, Kenya, IATA’s director general and chief executive officer, Tony Tyler said aviation’s economic and social benefits can be undermined by the unintended consequences of government action which are not aligned with the established framework of global standards. “Global standards are the foundation upon which a safe, secure, and integrated global air transport system are built. The system is so reliable that we don’t often think about the enormous coordination that makes it possible. That is why we need to remind governments of the value of global standards that support aviation and the vibrancy of their economies,” said Tyler. He explained that safety is the prime example of what can be achieved with a consistent, global approach. According to him, “the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the global standard for airline operational safety management. Over the decade since it was established, there is a clear trend that the aggregate safety performance of airlines on the registry is superior to those airlines that are not on the registry. African airlines on the IOSA registry are performing in line with global averages. And in 2012 there was not a single Western-built jet hull loss by any of IATA’s 25 African member airlines.” “Improving safety is the biggest issue on the African agenda, and global standards play a crucial role in this area. Last year, nearly half of the fatalities on Western-built jets occurred in Africa. African governments recognized the need to improve safety in the Abuja Declaration’s goal of reaching world-class safety levels by 2015. IATA is actively contributing its expertise and resources to all the Abuja Declaration’s commitments,” said Tyler. He listed the key elements of the Abuja declaration to include the completion of IOSA by all African carriers, the establishment of independent and sufficiently funded civil aviation authorities and the implementation of effective and transparent safety oversight systems. Tyler added that, to broaden the base of IOSA carriers (outside of IATA’s membership), IATA is working with the International Airlines Training Fund to provide in-house training for ten African airlines. “Governments must also up their game with more effective safety oversight. As of the end of 2012 only 11 African states had achieved 60percent implementation of ICAO’s safety-related standards and recommended practices (SARPS) according to the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP). There has been some significant progress. But, to be very frank, overall I have not yet seen sufficient urgency in dealing with this fundamental issue. Meeting the Abuja Declaration’s 2015 commitment will require a major acceleration in the pace of implementation,” said Tyler. In the area of connectivity and regulation, he stated that: “The overall profitability of the African industry is hovering around break-even, making $100 million in good years and losing $100 million when times are more difficult. Africa faces many unique challenges, but as Africa’s economy takes-off, breaking even will not be enough to generate the investments needed for African aviation to seize the emerging opportunities and play the important role of stimulating development across the continent.”
↧