CAAB makes headway in aviation safety
Pauline Dikuelo | Friday December 16, 2016 15:13
Chief executive officer (CEO), Geoffrey Moshabesha explained that the ICAO award which they got ranks Botswana well above the world average noting that it would benefit the country in many ways.
“The implication of the EU ranking and its benefit to the country is that in accordance with the common criteria set out in the Annex to Regulation No 2111/2005, in which air carriers from Botswana will remain excluded from the list of carriers subject to an operation ban within the EU,” he said.
The CEO also noted that the subsequent ICAO award has been viewed as a major landmark in the growth of the aviation sector in Botswana. In addition, Moshabela noted that great progress has similarly been made from an infrastructure perspective as all the airports are currently at varying stages of development. He said once all projects have been completed, the CAAB expects that the airports will provide a conducive environment for the growth of the industry as well as playing a catalytic role in the development of other sectors of the economy such as tourism and trade.
The CEO further said they recently successfully launched African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) conference, which hosted aviation experts from the 54-member states taking into account that AFCAC is a specialised agency of the African Union in the field of civil aviation.
During the conference, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) secretary general Dr Elijah Chingosho said one of the factors that contributes to the poor performance of the national carrier amongst others is the high jet fuel price.
“The jet fuel price in Botswana is one of the highest in Africa, which severely negatively affects the competitive capacity of the national carrier,” he said.
The relatively high price of jet fuel in Botswana has been blamed on logistics as well as economies of scale. Unlike other countries in the region that use rail and pipeline to import fuel the commodity is brought into Botswana by road pushing up the cost.
According to IATA, African airlines made a loss of $700 million in 2015, a record loss that is expected to be followed by another significant $500 million one in 2016.