ICAO leader visits Ethiopia

During the Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council and Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu discussed the place of politics in aviation safety and security oversight in Africa.

Additional topics included air transport infrastructure modernization, training and human resources development. The officials also explored ways to use resources provided through Africa’s Human Resources Development Fund.

One of the main topics was the importance of better regional and sub-regional cooperation in Africa with regard to aviation issues, which is part of ICAO's “No Country Left Behind” initiative.

“ICAO is grateful to Ethiopia for hosting this visit and for the determined cooperation it and other African states offer towards finding multilateral solutions to civil aviation challenges,” Aliu said.

Aliu attended events in Ethiopia, where he met with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of African Civil Aviation Commission Iyabo Sosina and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Aliu was able to sit in on meetings with African Union Commission Director Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Elham Ibrahim, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Aisha Abdullahi, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Carlos Lopes, President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina and CEO of the New Partnership for Africa's Development Ibrahim Assane Mayaki.

Aliu was also introduced to Minister of Transport of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia Workneh Gebeyehu.

“Like all ICAO member states, African countries will face significant but surmountable challenges as the air transport sector doubles its passenger and flight volumes over the next 15 years," Aliu said. "They will, however, be able to count on our cooperation to foster conditions that enable the necessary infrastructure modernization and skilled personal development to take place, consistent with our No Country Left Behind priorities.”