Captain Mohammed Aziz, Ph.D.
Advisor to Chairman –
Chairman – AACO Security WG & Safety SC
Industry environment in
the AACO region
 Economical challenges
 Safety challenges
 Security challenges
 AACO challenges
 Facing the challenges
 Future outlook

Algeria
Tunisia
Libya
Morocco
Egypt
Mauritania
Sudan
Somalia
Djibouti
Comoros
Syria
Lebanon
Jordan
Iraq
Kuwait
KSA
Bahrain
Qatar
UAE
Oman
Yemen
Royal Air Maroc
 Air Algerie
 Tunis Air
 Libyan Airways
 Afriqyah
 Egypt Air
 Sudan Airways
 Palestinian
 Royal Jordanian
 Jordan Aviation
 Syrian Arab Airlines
 Iraqi Airways

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Middle East Airlines
Trans Mediterranean
Airways
Kuwait Airways
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Gulf Air
Qatar Airways
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Air Arabia
Oman Air
Yemenia
Oil at record prices
 New oil and gas potential
 Evolving infrastructure
 Political stability and governance
 Business & tourism growing across the region
 Record investments & spurring economies
 Liberalization
 Population growth
 Emerging global hubs

Source Dubai DCA
Inconsistent availability of financial and/or human
resources to the national CAAs in the region
 Difficulties to retain adequately qualified and
experienced personnel within some CAAs
 Transition form a protective regulatory environment to
a liberal one, at times unilaterally
 Transition from state owned and supported airlines to
market driven privatized ones
 Aviation generated State income is not necessarily
invested in the industry

National oversight
 Flag of convenience
 Aging aircraft
 Rapid expansion
 Training challenges
 Regional statistics
 Emergency response
 Safety culture

Source ICAO AIG

The investigation demonstrated that the lack of
regulatory structure and safety oversight in
certain states does not allow an appropriate level
of safety for passengers and persons on ground

Those weaknesses are the results of many
factors, mainly economical considerations and
the conviction that flight safety rests primarily
on the decisions taken in real time by the front
line actors, i.e. the pilot in command
 Investigation
conclusions supported by ICAO Safety
Oversight Audit data
 This situation jeopardizes the organization of
international civil aviation, founded on trust and
mutual acceptance of licenses and agreements
 Many CAA are establishing “Black Lists” of carriers
and countries
 The unhealthy risk of seeing double or multiple
standards in the industry is growing and threatening
to disturb the air transport system and the economies
of many States and regions
Unresolved Arab-Israel conflict;
inflames regional tensions &
threats
 Islamic radical militant groups;
threatens safety and security
globally
 Iraq, Afghanistan & Pakistan
instability and insurgency; active
anti-government insurgencies
considered a threat to regional
security

Iranian nuclear and political
ambitions; potential threats of
actions and counter-actions
 Rising insurgencies in central and
sub-Saharan Africa; Chad, DRC,
Niger, Nigeria, Somalia & Sudan,
ongoing instability. Generally,
endemic poverty, crime &
corruption, refugees, militancy and
separatist insurgencies + oil & gas
 Different national requirements;
LAG, No-Fly-List / PPP, etc

6 fatal accidents in 2004 with 209 deaths
8 Western
Built
14
accidents
6 Eastern
Built
5 HL
3 SD
5 HL
1 SD
AACO
Members
2 SD
Zero
Fatality
Impact of regional safety statistics
 Liberalization policies aiming at enhancing the air
traffic industry without proper oversight
 Transition from government ownership to privatization
 Competing with big alliances and charter companies
while maintaining the highest operational safety
standards, efficiency and sustainable growth
 Promote safety and security culture at regional level
 Design and maintain contingency plans to face threats
and manage the associated risks

 AACO
Safety Audit guidelines produced in 1995 and
revised in 2001 by Safety SC members and
Secretariat
 Support the SMS and SEMS concept
 Joint approach to AOs for IOSA and full support for
the program
 Lobbying with ACAC and succeeding in making
IOSA as an oversight tool
 Support for Authorities through scholarships by
AACO TC and technical assistance from members
 ERP Task Force with a view for mutual assistance in
cases of emergency
 Participation
in international and regional initiatives,
seminars and working groups
 Training through ATC – Amman and in-house
 Annual Technical Forum
 Full support for ICAO and IATA safety and security
assistance programs
 Full support for ICAO and IATA safety and security
oversight programs
 Security WG lobbying for standardized security
regulations
Maintain a safe, secure and sustainable growth, through
regional and international cooperation
 Members unconditional support for all ICAO, IATA and
FSF initiatives aiming at making our skies safer
 A call to standardize the protocols for the PPP
 Spiral growth through proper and efficient planning,
training, quality performance and oversight
 On-going commitment to our customers for their
continuous support and deserved trust
 Advance the region economy through the industry by
creating new opportunities

Our regional activities contribute to enhance:
 Global civil aviation safety
 Global civil aviation security
 Global economy and commerce
 The efficiency of aviation operations
 The continuity of the aviation industry
 The customers opportunities to communicate and
interact safely, securely, comfortably and efficiently
at a global level