Bargaining to Build a Safe and Secure Civil Aviation System in Sierra Leone
By
Moses Tiffa Baio
This year’s ICAO Assembly provides a basket of
opportunities for Member States to improve on
their aviation systems: the urge to
improve on safety and security levels
amidst global threats; the emergence of
unmanned aircraft (drones and loons), the zest to draft new regulations, the call to build on aviation
infrastructure, the fight to reduce carbon
emission to guarantee environmental
protection and the quest to include more
women in the industry have been central to
the International Civil Aviation Organization’s 40th Assembly.
The “No Country Left Behind” has
helped Members States build sound
aviation systems in the areas of improving
their safety and security standards in compliance
with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices
(SARPS). During the opening session of the Assembly,
ICAO gave certificates to countries who, amidst
turbulence, have weathered the storms to improve
on their safety and security levels over the past three years. Gracing such a colorful occasion and knowing fully well what it meant for Member
States, not only was I inspired to see Sierra
Leone get both safety and security
certificates, but also energized to
ensure Sierra Leone builds a safe, secure and
sustainable civil aviation system.
In achieving the above, engaging global experts
for technical assistance has thus been
the hallmark of achieving our goal as a
nation. Irrespective of the challenges we
are faced with, I see aviation as a bigger
bargaining chip to build our economy—an economy
that does not heavily rely on mining activities.
A sound aviation system will give the state equal support mining gives without much environmental degradation. On the other side of the flip, aviation facilitates tourism, strengthens other
sectors and provides jobs.
The emergence of unmanned aircraft presents a
much more greater opportunity to facilitate
agriculture, health, security surveillance and
deliveries, but its challenges are
innumerable, given the need to ensure
safety. Given the safety and security concern it poses, we must count the cost before embracing the concept holistically.
Using the New Direction Paradigm to build a safe
and secure civil aviation system has been
productive thus far. Based on the already
carved path, the Sierra Leone delegation
to the ICAO 40th Assembly have been
constantly bargaining with aviation experts from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and the
ICAO Technical Cooperation Bureau to assist in
building capacity, developing civil aviation
master plan, designing Technical
Assistance Programs among others.
Like never before, we are emboldened to share
President Bio’s vision to provide the much
needed political will to enhance Sierra
Leone’s aviation industry in order to
match up with global standards.
Today, aviation offers a wide range of
opportunities to create new routes, new
markets and new careers. As
a state, we must grab all those baskets of
opportunities and make our industry viable. We must stretch our arms wide enough to accept improved
ideas offered for growth and must also have our
share by dipping our hands in the basket
of benefits provided by the global
aviation actors.
As we bargain with key aviation players to build
our system in a sustainable manner, we,
as a state, must be inspired to build our
own system; we must be bold enough to
identify our deficiencies, take advantage of the emerging trends, anticipate growth to build an economically viable aviation industry. Our goal to
eclipse the global safety and security
benchmarks coupled with our pursuit to
achieve the Freetown International
Airport Certification must not be clouded with
cynicism and inferiority. We must be determined to leave our mark on the global space.
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