World-class safety and security is a prerequisite for a thriving aviation industry.

So says IATA director general and CEO, Tony Tyler.  “We have recently had two sad reminders that there is still work to be done in this region if it is to consistently reach the average elsewhere in the world. I am not going to speculate on the causes of the tragedies of Flight KGL 9268 or the Allied Services cargo flight from Juba, but we are following developments closely. And of course, we are keeping everyone affected in our thoughts and prayers,” he said during the AFRAA Annual General Assembly in Brazzaville.

“These incidents remind us that aviation safety is a never-ending quest, in which every tool at our disposal is required. And it should be said that the focus on global standards and best practices has had an appreciable effect on African air safety in recent years. In 2014, in terms of jet hull losses, the African rate was zero. This good 2014 result was a culmination of a number of initiatives set down by governments in their efforts to meet the Abuja Declaration objectives. But we cannot relax our efforts.

“The all accident rate for the region last year was 11.18 for every one million flights, far higher than the global average of 1.92, so it shows that there is still work to be done. As of October this year, only 17 out of 54 African States comply with 60% or more International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices. We would like to see national civil aviation authorities given greater resources and operational independence, and where necessary, rely on regional pooling initiatives across the continent to promote safety.

“In terms of global standards, the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is a proven tool for raising safety. We are working with a number of airlines to bring them onto the IOSA registry. Eleven have joined since the Abuja Declaration was signed, which means 29 airlines from sub-Saharan Africa now benefit from this rigorous safety audit.

“For those airlines not eligible for IOSA, we have created the IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA), giving even the smallest carrier the opportunity to benchmark its safety performance. This program was unveiled in Africa in June 2015 and our team has since conducted two workshops to assist all eligible operators that feel ready to start preparing for an assessment.

“With government commitment, the adoption of global best practices, and the continued vigilance and excellence of Africa’s aviation professionals, there’s no reason why Africa cannot soon match the levels of safety enjoyed in other regions of the world: and once that’s been done, to keep making even more progress,” he concluded.