East African Aviation Regulators Meet in Juba to Review Safety Standards
Why It MattersHarmonizing oversight across East African Community states would narrow regulatory gaps that complicate cross-border operations, with South Sudan's alignment to ICAO standards the main test for the region.
Regional aviation regulators are meeting in Juba, South Sudan's capital, to review civil aviation regulations and discuss ways to strengthen safety and security oversight and enforce international operational standards across the East African Community. The two-day forum brings together officials and technical experts from member states to address regulatory bottlenecks, exchange technical expertise and harmonize safety practices across the region.
Speaking on behalf of the director-general at the opening ceremony, Habbib Dafalla, Director of Corporate Services at the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority (SSCAA), underscored the role of cross-border collaboration. He said robust regulatory frameworks and adherence to global standards are essential for a safe, reliable and efficient air transport network. Francis Lichuma, Acting Executive Director of CASSOA, reaffirmed the agency's commitment to providing technical assistance to South Sudan to help the national authority align its operational standards with regional and international benchmarks.
Participants are expected to formulate recommendations to strengthen regulatory oversight and raise aviation safety across member states. The meeting comes as South Sudan's aviation sector has struggled for years with recurring air crashes, aging Soviet-era cargo aircraft, inadequate airport infrastructure and weak enforcement of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. Commercial and chartered flights, often operated by older turboprop aircraft, remain a vital lifeline in the country because of its limited road network.
