Accelerating aviation recovery in Africa
The leadership and key contributions of Kenya and Senegal to Africa’s aviation sector were the focus of recent bilateral meetings among ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar and Mr. James Macharia, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport (top image), and Mr. Alioune Sarr, Minister of Tourism and Transport of Senegal.
The meetings took place during the Secretary General’s recent mission to ICAO’s Africa Regional Office host states, from 13 to 17 December 2021, with special focus on current priorities to accelerate the recovery of air connectivity through the implementation of ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) recommendations and exploring opportunities to enhance the presence and support to ICAO member states in both regions.
Kenya and Senegal also host the regional United Nations offices for Africa, positioning their governments as key partners in efforts toward ICAO/UN aviation and sustainable development goals. Appreciating the governments’ long-standing commitments toward leading regional progress in the air transport sector, Mr. Salazar advocated for continued and enhanced regional cooperation under Kenya and Senegal’s leadership. In addition, plans for ICAO dedicated facilities in Nairobi and Senegal were discussed with host governments and United Nations officials.
These points were also stressed during a series of supporting meetings with 12 Directors General of Civil Aviation from the ICAO Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) region, as well as at a bilateral meeting with the Director General of Senegal’s National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology, Mr. Sidy Gueye. Secretary General Salazar also held related discussions with representatives of the leadership of the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).
Mr. Salazar’s meetings with the Director-General of the UN Office in Nairobi, Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, and the Resident Coordinator of the UN System in Senegal, Mr. Siaka Coulibaly, resulted in agreements on heightening regional cooperation within the UN system. A further meeting with Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, focussed specifically on enhancing the contributions of airports to sustainable development.
The Secretary General's activities in Africa also included visits to the Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) and the Western and Central African (WACAF) Regional Offices, supported by Regional Directors Barry Kashambo and Prosper Zo’o Minto’o, respectively.
