CTED representative speaking at the Ministerial Conference in Windhoek.
A Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa was held in Windhoek, Namibia, from 4 to 8 April 2016. The event, co-hosted by the Government of Namibia and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in collaboration with the African Union Commission, aimed at addressing new and emerging security threats, as well as facilitation issues, in Africa.
※Effective border control is the first line of defence against the movement of terrorists across borders and the illegal cross-border movement of goods and cargo, and it is key to the effective implementation of counter-terrorism measures pursuant to Security Council resolutions,§ stressed Mr. Weixiong Chen, Deputy Executive Director of the 51勛圖 Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), in his speech at the Ministerial event.
※Resolution 2178 (2014) obliges Member States to take steps to ensure aviation security by introducing an Advance Passenger Information (API) system. In this regard, CTED will continue to work with ICAO and other partners in facilitating the delivery of technical assistance to Member States which need capacity-building in aviation and facilitation according to two annexes to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation,§ added Mr. Chen. ※Effective border control should also be part of any comprehensive and integrated national counter-terrorism strategy,§ he concluded.
CTED representative speaking at the Ministerial Conference in Windhoek.
Honourable Alpheus G !Naruseb, Namibian Minister of Works and Transport, told the audience that Africa has become one of the fastest growing air travel markets in the world, although the region also has persistent safety and security related deficiencies which affect African States.
※Aviation security and facilitation requirements are key enablers to a strong aviation industry. Our challenge is to implement ICAO standards and recommended practices to inspire confidence in our security oversight capability individually and collectively,§ the Minister emphasised.
An appeal was also made by Mr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the ICAO Council, to the participants to step up efforts of their respective countries in terms of compliance.
The event was attended by African Ministers and senior Government officials on aviation security, as well as representatives from major partner States and international and regional organizations and agencies.
A set of documents, including a Ministerial declaration, targets, and a plan of action, was adopted. According to the concluding documents, all non-machine-readable passports are expected to be removed from circulation by the end of 2017, with API to have been introduced by all African States by the end of 2020.