Tanzania signs SADC aviation safety charter
What you need to know:
- Saso is a Sadc subsidiary that was formed in order to enhance safety of civil aviation in the 16-member bloc
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has on Tuesday, July 5 signed the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Aviation Safety Organisation (Saso) Charter with a view to making air transport safer.
Saso is a Sadc subsidiary that was formed in order to enhance safety of civil aviation in the 16-member bloc
With the signing of the charter, Tanzania now joins other nine countries namely Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the list of Sadc member states that have given a nod to Saso.
The signing of the charter is expected to improve aviation safety control, broaden scope of cooperation among Sadc countries, acquire aviation technical training of its experts and exchange aviation expertise and experts.
According to the Works and Transport minister, Prof Makame Mbarawa this will address challenges of shortage of resources, technical expertise and experts and lack of comprehensive safety system required to improve the country’s performance,
“We expect to enjoy harmonisation of safety systems that will facilitate improvement of services delivery and hence improve other sectors that depend on aviation, to be precious, tourism and transportation of perishables,” he said at the signing ceremony.
He exuded optimism that signing of the charter will help Tanzania to improve International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (Usoap) results.
Like any other Icao member, Tanzania is subjected to Usoap, with its current performance standing at 67.3 percent, according to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) director general, Mr Hamza Johari.
The country’s performance, he explained, is above the required world average of 60 percent.
“We will work hard to ensure we reach our target of at least 85 percent of Usoap results in the near future,” said the TCAA boss.
Works and Transport permanent secretary Gabriel Migire said the charter aimed at delivering technical cooperation and training to the Civil Aviation Authorities of Sadc member states.
“Today’s event (signing of the charter) has been achieved after undergoing internal consultations and procedures,” disclosed Mr Migire.
