Camair now IOSA certified, joins IATA

Cameroonian flag carrier airline, Camair is now the latest member of International Air Transport Association.

Vice President (Africa) Camair, Raphael Kuuchi said improving and enhancing aviation safety is a key area of focus for them.

 

He stated that IATA is committed to strengthening this aspect of airline performance through the IATA Operational Safety Audit (or IOSA) programme, where all airlines, regardless of region, resource or scale, are assessed biennially against a set of globally benchmarked standards. 

 

Airlines on the IOSA registry are acknowledged as having met the required standard.  IOSA accreditation is also a pre-requisite for IATA membership.

Now in its 13th year, IOSA continues to be recognized as the gold standard for airline operational audits.

 

Kuuchi said it gave him a great pleasure, in front of Cameroon’s strongest aviation advocates, to officially welcome the country’s flag carrier Camair-Co to IATA.

 

He noted that having another full IATA member in Central & West Africa (CWA) not only broadens the carrier’s representation, it allows them to serve the industry more effectively, and work towards creating a safe, secure and profitable industry that sustainably connects and enriches “our world.”

 

“This brings me to my second note of congratulations of the day – Camair-Co’s successful completion of the IOSA audit.”

 

Achieving IOSA accreditation, according to him was a significant milestone not only for Cameroon’s national carrier but the safety of the wider aviation industry in Africa, stressing that the safety performance of the 32 Sub-Saharan airlines on the IOSA registry is 3.5 times better than non-IOSA operators in terms of all accidents and incidents.

 

The achievement is doubly welcome as the airline was one of the initial 10 African carriers sponsored by IATA and the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (or ICAO) as part of the Abuja Declaration Project.  The initiative set a goal of assisting the group of 10 airlines to achieve IOSA status, a goal which has now been achieved.

 

The airline has accomplished a lot over the past year – demonstrating what can be done and achieved with Government support and cooperation. 

 

His words, “It is in this regard that I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the role played by the authorities to ensure that airlines and travel agencies in Cameroon have access to IATA’s Billing Settlement Plan and the IATA Clearing House. This development is not only positive for the industry but also for the additional 5.5 million passengers forecast to take to Cameroon’s the skies over the next 20 years.”

 

Through facilitating the movements of people and goods more freely, Cameroon has the potential to achieve strong growth.

 

The IMF forecasts the country’s GDP to grow by 5.5% annually over the next 5 years.  This should drive an average annual passenger growth rate of 8.4 per cent per year, compared with the African average of 4.6 per cent.  This equates to an extra 5.5 million passengers by 2035 (up from 1.4 million in 2014).

 

Challenges remain for both Cameroon and Central & West Africa – not least the slump in oil-prices and the rise in security-related disruptions.   As a result, it is imperative for governments in the region to promote – instead of constraining – the growth of aviation.

 

All too often in Africa well-intended but ill-conceived regulation, poor safety oversight, inadequate and costly infrastructure, and restrictive air-service agreements hinder aviation’s growth and in doing so, choke broader socio-economic development and a rise in prosperity.

 

He urged the Government of Cameroon to continue its work towards the development of a strong aviation sector not only in the country, but also beyond its borders.

 

He noted that Cameroon cannot realise the full value of aviation without support from its neighbours, adding that he would challenge the government to look beyond merely national issues and focus on an even bigger picture – the strategic development of pan-African aviation, the potential socio-economic benefits of which provide a compelling argument.