Senegal is to reclaim control of its airports and air traffic from a pan-African body it has threatened to quit, a Transport Ministry official said on Friday.
”As of May 10, Senegal will take back from ASECNA [Agency for the Security of Navigation in Africa and Madagascar] the running of its aeronautical activities,” said Yoro Sarr, an adviser to Air Transport Minister Farba Senghor.
A senior official with the Dakar-based agency said it was up to individual countries whether they let ASECNA run its airports or not.
”It’s not the essential part of ASECNA’s role,” he said, preferring not to be named. He also said the removal of national airport management did not mean that Senegal was pulling out of the alliance.
Dakar originally threatened to pull out of the organisation in November 2007, but later said it was ”suspending” that move and called for an audit — agreed to by the organisation — before reaching a final decision.
The Senegalese government last month slammed that audit, calling it a ”parody”.
Despite the agency’s name, Madagascar announced in October 2007 that it was quitting the body.
Founded in 1959 and today grouping 18 African countries, ASECNA oversees traffic across airspace which is 50% bigger than Europe’s. It supervises take-offs and landings at 27 airports on the continent.
While Africa accounts for just 3% of world aircraft departures, it tops the list in air mishaps. – AFP