Supporting the Civil Aviation sector in Malawi
Air transport was identified as one of the six thematic areas of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II (MGDS II) to achieve a reliable, competitive, and sustainable aviation sector that operates within an improved regulatory and institutional framework. However, Malawi’s civil aviation system faced a number of significant safety, security and operational deficiencies. Years of under-investment, inadequate infrastructure, poor maintenance, insufficient training, and an ineffective safety oversight system had compounded these challenges. In this context, the EIB launched an investment programme to create a self-sustaining civil aviation environment. This programme wanted to enhance safety, ensure reliable and efficient services, and facilitate trade and tourism growth in Malawi.
Under this initiative, the Technical Assistance project “Support to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA)” was implemented by NTU from 2017 to 2022, with a budget of nearly EUR1.4 million. The project’s primary objective was to support the PIU in the timely and cost-effective execution of EIB-funded components. This included project preparation, procurement, tender document review, tendering and evaluation, contracting, contract implementation, reporting to the EIB, and knowledge transfer to the DCA. The Technical Assistance also aimed to address safety, security, and operational issues at the Kamuzu International Airport – KIA (Lilongwe) and Chileka International Airport – CIA (Blantyre), while strengthening the institutional capacity of Malawi’s aviation sector.
Impact
NTU’s services in the procurement process gave both airports the opportunity to possess reliable and adequate safety and security equipment and infrastructure. NTU’s work also supported the implementation of suitable controls and organisational measures to effectively manage:
- cost related issues,
- project planning,
- coordination between all the various stakeholders,
- implementation monitoring, and
- obtention of decisions from DCA.
In support of the PIU, NTU provided services for the implementation of authority levels along with the overall decision-making framework within which the authority levels applied. The decision-making framework defined by NTU clearly outlined the roles and responsibilities of the committee, delegations, and reporting lines.
Thanks to its services implemented within this project, NTU contributed to Malawi’s compliance with international civil aviation standards. This ensured a safe operating environment for airlines and passengers, safeguarded essential air access, and facilitated growth in aviation activity.
SDGs
