The year 2022, amidst its load of challenges, is a year full of hope for the durable restart of our activities. The lifting of health restrictions in many countries has allowed a sustainable recovery of air traffic, very often at a much faster pace than initially envisaged. To such an extent that we are approaching the high season period of July and August with, at times, increased capacities compared to 2019, which still remains our reference year.

This strong recovery in traffic is of course an opportunity to continue to maintain our efforts to promote safety at African airports.

This subject was widely discussed at our last meeting in Mombasa, and in particular, the issues related to runway safety: vehicle, wildlife and aircraft incursions, FOD management, management of markings and airfield lightings, etc. All those discussions led to a recommended theme for the Safety Week campaign of 2022, namely: How to involve our Stakeholders into Runway Safety?

The Safety Week 2022, to be organised preferably in September, will be a unique opportunity for all stakeholders of the industry, both internal and external, to address and challenge safety issues as well as to become familiar with and sensitise all concerned on aviation safety. This week-long campaign will aim to involve all airport staff indiscriminately on the need to maintain and promote aviation safety at all times.

In this context, I invite you to use the Safety Toolkit (to be downloaded here), which will provide you guidance on the launch and management of this campaign.

Participants will be kindly invited to share their campaigns at the next meeting of the Regional Committee on Safety and Technical next October. ACI Africa will actively promote your campaign at its next conference and on its social media, with the aim of providing high visibility to your company as well as your efforts to improve safety.

For more information on the Safety Week 2022, please contact Mr. Stéphane COURTOIS, Secretary of the Regional Committee on Safety and Technical at: stephane.courtois@aci-africa.aero.