The program's launch partners are: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing and The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).
Together, CASIP partners will prioritize the most pressing safety concerns on the continent and pool the necessary resources to address them. The benefits of improving aviation safety in Africa will extend to the continent's economies and societies.
“Improving aviation safety will play an important role in Africa's overall development. Safe, efficient and reliable air connectivity is an important contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this sense, CASIP will make it clear to governments across the continent that aviation must be prioritized as an integral part of national development strategies. With so many benefits at stake, we hope that other parties will feel encouraged to join the CASIP effort,” said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General.
The starting point for improving safety is the effective use of global safety standards. At government level, a key indicator is the effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). Data from the year 2022 reveals that there is considerable room for improvement, with only 28 out of 54 African countries achieving an effective implementation rate of ICAO SARPS of 60% or more.
In parallel, CASIP's partners will:
- Identify deficiencies in operational safety and implement corrective action plans.
- Providing security training and workshops throughout the continent.
- Promote a data-driven approach to safety performance, with an emphasis on making safety data available to decision-makers and ensuring efficient accident/incident reporting.
“Improving security performance is a priority for Africa. And we don't need to reinvent the wheel to get the results we need. Collaborative security teams in Latin America have demonstrated that security improves when government and industry work together to implement global standards. By working together, partners will pool resources to have a greater impact in areas where risk can be reduced, leading to measurable improvements in security,” said Walsh.