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it is standard practice to regularly carry out maintenance work on aerodrome pavement areas. With the growing civil aviation activities within the region and recovery from war times, the Burundi Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) has embarked on an exercise to rehabilitate the aerodrome movement areas and construction of a modern air traffic control tower.

The BCAA made use of the EAC policy on sharing of technical resources as spelt out in the harmonised EAC Order CAA-O-GEN004D to seek CASSOA’s intervention in coordinating the technical support from Partner States. The purpose was to get technical advice on the best option of rehabilitating the aerodrome movement areas and erection of a new modern control tower at Bujumbura International Airport following a comprehensive evaluation.

CASSOA identified skilled experts from Uganda and Kenya and the team carried out their task from 21^st – 23^rd March 2016. The comprehensive Report on the technical mission was handed over to the Director General of Burundi CAA on 5^th May 2016 during the 34^th Board Meeting. Four key recommendations were made in the Report, namely:

1. There is need to establish the Pavement Classification index (PCI) of the pavements at Bujumbura International Airport. There is need for a consultant(s) to be identified in order to carry out a scientific study known as a Pavement Condition survey that will generate a PCI number for the pavements.
2. There is need for a consultant and contractor to be appointed/engaged in order to carry out design, supervision works and construction works related to rehabilitation of movement areas runway and construction of parallel taxiway and rapid exit taxiway to meet ICAO runway code 4E specifications and separation requirements. The construction works shall include markings and painting.
3. There is need for a consultant to be appointed/engaged in order to carry out design and supervision works for the proposed new control tower and office block. The team further recommended a control tower whose height shall be at least 21 metres above ground level to be taken into consideration.
4. The Agency should continue to support Burundi in the implementation of this project through supervision up to completion. This should be done with the technical staff of Bujumbura International Airport so as to equip them with technical skills necessary for future pavement management.

It was all smiles during the 34^th CASSOA Board Meeting held on 5^th – 6^th May 2016 in Entebbe, Uganda. The Agency Secretariat informed the Board of the developed EAC Model Surveillance Course developed by CASSOA in conjunction with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

The Surveillance Course Development Team convened at Naivasha, Kenya, from 25^th – 29^th April 2016 to review the contents of the approved Surveillance Programme and develop a draft Surveillance Course. The team developed the modular structure of the Surveillance Course and identified Reference Materials which will be used by the Curriculum Development Unit officers during the development of the Course.

Other than the Federal Aviation Administration, the EAC is the only Region which has developed the Surveillance Course based on its Regulations and Technical Guidance Materials.

The new Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Liberat Mfumukeko, took on the mantle of the Community on 26^th April 2015 upon the expiry of the successful contract for Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera on 25^th April 2016. The new Secretary General hails from Burundi while his predecessor is from Rwanda.

Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko takes the reins when the Community is faced with a number of challenges, the political situation in Burundi and the funding of the Secretariat being just a few of them. The Secretary General has set pace by meeting the EAC staff in their various categories. On 16^th May, 2016 he met the Heads of EAC Organs and Institutions in Arusha, Tanzania during which meeting he exchanged ideas with the executives. He underscored the point that his aim was not to prove or make his predecessors to appear as though they never achieved anything, rather, he is bent on getting the best practices implemented for the good of the Community. Key among the outcome of the meeting was the need to revisit income and expenditure practices.

As of now, only 65% of earmarked contributions for the FY 2015/2016 budget have been received from Partner States. A meeting with the EAC development partners is scheduled on 26^th May 2016 in Dar es Salaam in order to brainstorm on the best funding mechanism for the Community.

Rwanda hosted the 5^th Aviation Stakeholders’ convention on 7^th – 9^th May 2016. During the convention it was observed that the cost of air transport in Africa is still high despite a reduction in oil prices. In fact statistics indicate that travelling within Africa is more expensive when compared to travelling outside the continent.

Kigali International Airport. Photo courtesy of New Times (Rwanda)

During the convention, Mr. Barry Kashambo, the International Civil Aviation Organization Eastern and Southern Africa (ICAO ESAF) Regional Director was optimistic that African Airlines will play an imperative role in championing Africa’s Agenda 2063, given the resources and a conducive business environment. Africa’s Agenda 2063 is geared towards pushing the continent effectively towards building on the already existing progress while strategically exploiting all possible opportunities available in the immediate and medium term to ensure socio-economic transformation within the next 50 years.

This is possible only when market players and policy makers embrace smart regulations to help enhance competitiveness and efficiency.

The East African Community States are committed to ensuring a safe, secure and efficient aviation industry. For that reason, following the ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme of Continuous Monitoring Approach, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Kenya (who were among the first ICAO Contracting States to undergo such an audit) of September 2015, Uganda and Rwanda are in high gear preparing for their audits that have been scheduled for 2016.

One of the main functions of CASSOA is to assist the Partner States in meeting their safety and security oversight obligations and responsibilities under the Chicago Convention and its Annexes. Therefore, as CASSOA worked closely with Tanzania and Kenya in their preparations for these audits, it is doing the same for Rwanda and Uganda. Tanzania and Kenya scored way above the average required score. CASSOA is now assisting the remaining Partner States in preparations for their audits in order to score above the required average, as well.

EAC CASSOA
Plot 41-43 Circular Road,
P.O. Box 873, Entebbe, Uganda
Website: www.cassoa.org
Email: cassoa@cassoa.org
Tel. +256-414-322047
Fax: +256-414-322049

Download PDF: [media-downloader media_id=”819″ texts=”East Africa Gears up for ICAO USAP CMA Audits”]

In accordance with Article 134 of the Treaty, the Books of Accounts of the Community for the year ended 30th June 2015 were audited by the EAC Audit Commission between October and December 2015. The Audit covered the East African Community Organs and Institutions, among which was CASSOA.

On 11th December 2015, the East African Community Auditors General convened in Arusha, Tanzania, to consider the Report of the EAC Audit and Risk Committee for the year ended June 2015. Following the Auditors General consideration of the Reports, the Auditors General gave CASSOA an unqualified opinion. The final reports were signed on 20th January 2016.

This is the 8th Unqualified Opinion in a row on the Financial States of CASSOA ever since the
Agency became operational in 2007. The Report of the Audit Commission for the year ended 30th June 2015 will be submitted to the 33rd Ministerial Session of the Council on 29th February 2016 for onward transmission to the East African Legislative Assembly for debate.
Download PDF: CASSOA gets Unqualified Opinion on Statement of Accounts