AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Dr. Elham Ibrahim, Participated in the ICAO World Aviation Forum and signed Aide Memoire with ICAO Secretary General

The African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Dr. Elham Ibrahim participated in the International Civil Aviation organization (ICAO) first-ever World Aviation Forum (WAF). Over 800 Ministers and senior officials from States, UN and international organizations have gathered at the Headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) during the period 23-25 November 2015, taking part in a series of landmark discussions on sustainable aviation development, tourism growth, and other critical air transport concerns at the first-ever ICAO World Aviation Forum.

The three-day event, featuring a series of roundtables and workshops, was opened by ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. Newly-appointed Canadian Transport Minister, the Honourable Marc Garneau, was also on hand to welcome and address the international dignitaries.

Commissioner Ibrahim in her speech specifically highlighted the importance of the aviation industry in supporting sustainable development and socio-economic prosperity in the African countries, as well as how the air transport in Africa has changed considerably in less than a decade to the extent that it has now become among the top priorities in the portfolio of the activities of the African Union.

[Description: ICAO2] On 27 November 2015 as a side event of the IWAF, H.E. the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy and the Secretary General of ICAO H.E. Dr. Fang Liu, in presence of President of ICAO Council H.E. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, signed an Aide Memoire to strengthening co-operation in the field of civil aviation between the International Civil Aviation Organization and the African Union Commission on the following matters; Aviation Safety, Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency, Aviation Security and Facilitation, Economic Development of Air Transport, Environmental Protection, Capacity Building and Training of Aviation Personnel, Technical Cooperation and Technical Assistance.

Commissioner Ibrahim and ICAO Secretary General agreed that the two organization should work together to come out with concrete approach to take the above mentioned matters forward as well as to address all barriers that aviation faces in Africa.

Having that Canada is considered as a key partner to the African Union, the AUC delegation on 26 November 2015 held meetings with the Government of Canada officials, Banks and others private sector companies and discussed the areas of cooperation. Among others the two sides discussed how to Meet the Challenges of Creating Modern Regional Transportation Infrastructure: Roads, Rail and Ports, Addressing the Policy, Regulatory, Institutional and Technical Capacity Deficits in Africa's Power Sector, The Challenges and Opportunities in Financing the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa Priority Action Plan, the experience of the financial institutions in Canada in financing Infrastructure projects and how those organizations can play a role to finance Infrastructure projects in Africa.