The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) said it advocates strong regional collaboration and the acceleration of innovation to improve the performance of air traffic management (ATM) in Africa.
The CANSO Africa Conference, CANSO’s annual regional event dedicated to the transformation of ATM in Africa, is being held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 2-6 September.
The theme is ‘Towards a seamless African sky and its impact on the next generation of aviation professionals’, and the event is exploring the latest challenges and opportunities in Africa and how regional collaboration and innovation can improve aviation in the region.
CANSO outlined the importance of aviation in Africa and the vital role of collaboration between service providers, states and regulators and modernisation in delivering efficient and effective connectivity.
Led by industry key players and experts, the conference is exploring the potential partnerships and operational and technological innovation required to achieve a seamless sky in Africa and secure a high-performance workforce in the future.
Key enablers addressed include harmonisation and interoperability, air traffic flow management (ATFM), performance based navigation (PBN), aviation system block upgrades (ASBUs), safety management systems (SMS), collaborative decision-making (CDM) and human factors. Strong regional collaboration and a commitment to innovation have been identified as the key drivers of such progress.
CANSO director general, Simon Hocquard said: “As Africa continues to experience rapid growth in air traffic, it is vital that the ATM industry works together ensure consistent, high levels of service provision across the region. The CANSO Africa Conference provides an important forum for service providers and suppliers to discuss key issues, share experience and expertise, and find common solutions.
“As the CANSO Africa ATM Safety Peer Review Initiative, Mombasa ATFM Roadmap, and joint CANSO/ICAO efforts on ASBU implementation show, the region is already making huge strides. But we need to continue to grow these collaborative initiatives and accelerate the adoption of innovative procedures and technologies if we are to achieve safe, seamless, and sustainable ATM both now and in the future.”
