Institutional Building in the Aviation Sector in Zambia
NTU has successfully completed its activities under the 3-year contract "Technical Assistance Support to the Zambian Aviation Sector". The project had a total budget of €3 million and was carried out on behalf of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) of the Zambian Ministry of Transport, Works, Supplies and Communications (MTWSC). The main purpose was to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Civil Aviation regulator in Zambia. It was also intended to help ensure a safe and secure aviation environment through: good governance, implementation of international civil aviation standards, and recommendations on harmonisation with the EU standards. Another goal was to strengthen the cooperation with European aviation authorities and agencies.
Zambia, being a landlocked country, is subject to time-consuming and unreliable surface links with its neighbours and regional markets. Therefore, the country is extremely dependent on the aviation industry. When shortcomings in the safety and security oversight for aviation became visible, the European Commission blacklisted and banned all Zambian-registered airlines from flying to Europe. The citizens were also advised not to use the airlines. The EU has further identified and noted the safety and regulatory shortcomings of the Civil Aviation Authority in Zambia. Therefore, improvement of Zambia's compliance with the international aviation standards was of high importance to the country’s regional, social and economic development.
Implementation
A major component of the project was the upgrading of the legal, institutional and organisational framework of the Zambian aviation sector. For that reason, after two years of consultation and drafting, the final draft of the Aviation Bill was developed, thanks to NTU`s technical assistance experts. The Aviation Bill incorporated all ICAO Annexes and appropriate standards of aviation safety. It has provided a comprehensive and institutionalised legal framework for the aviation sector and legitimised the Civil Aviation Authority’s status as the new regulator.
With regard to the institutional reform, a fully autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was established to replace the DCA. NTU carried out capacity building to target CAA in instilling a safety culture through the organisation of trainings, workshops and forums. They addressed all aspects of aviation safety for the newly recruited staff including the appointed board of directors and Director General for the CAA.
Impact
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Institutional and legal harmonisation of Zambian aviation rules and standards with the international context;
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Removal of the EU operation ban on air travel as aviation safety standards were adjusted in Zambia;
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General improvement of the civil aviation sector, which facilitated the industry of tourism and hospitality;
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Improvement of the socioeconomic role and capacity to contribute to regional development and integration of the civil aviation sector.
SDGs
