Multinational - Capacity Building Programme for the Supervision of Aviation Safety in West and Central Africa (COSCAP Programme)

The COSCAP Programme for the supervision of air safety in West and Central Africa (WCA) stems from the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision of 14 November 1999 on the liberalisation of the air transport markets in Africa, adopted by the OAU Heads of State and Government on 12 July 2000, in Lome (Togo). It is also one of the thrusts for reaching the “open and safe skies” goal of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development’s short term action programme (STAP) on Infrastructure formulated by the Bank at the request of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union. The COSCAP Programme enables WCA member States to jointly fulfil their contractual commitments under the Chicago Convention and vis-à-vis ICAO. It will focus on the application by the DCAs of the following Annexes of the Chicago Convention: (i) Annex 1 concerning air personnel licensing; (ii) Annex 6 concerning the aircraft operation; (iii) Annex 8 covers issues of airworthiness and (iv) Annex 14 relative to issues on aerodrome certification. Thus, uniform technical regulations will take effect, 18 regional inspectors recruited, trained and certified to start activities in the planned regional agencies, 100 national inspectors trained, inspection and supervision made regular and at least 10 international airports certified as category A1 by the FAA. By the year 2010, this programme should make it possible to halve air accidents caused by human error and technical deficiencies. The programme’s implementation will also help build the capacity of CEMAC, ECOWAS and WAEMU to prepare and monitor NEPAD’s infrastructure programmes. It will consolidate regional cooperation and economic integration through the participatory approach which partners all 23 member States for its implementation. Programme implementation will span about 37 months starting May 2005 through to June 2008 with a cost estimate net of taxes and custom duties, stands at UA 13.21 million.