Former minister of transport and communications, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo, recently received an International Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAO) Council President Certificate in recognition of Botswana’s “progress in resolving its safety oversight deficiencies and improving the effective implementation of applicable ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices last year.”
According to a press release from the ICAO , Mr Mabeo was presented with the award by ICAO president, Dr Olumuyiwa Aliu at the special ceremony of the opening of the Plenary of the 39th Session of the ICAO Assembly.
The release further states that the Council President Certificate was established in support of the international civil aviation organisations.
It goes on to state that no country was left behind adding that the initiative was awarded to states that have shown tremendous improvement in their aviation safety improvement.
“This makes Botswana one of the first two African countries to receive this recognition,” the release says.
Dr Aliu is quoted as saying the award, which came just on the eve of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence, was to be viewed by the country as a major milestone in the growth of the aviation sector in Botswana.
“This recognition follows the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission on Botswana undertaken in December 2015 where the two significant safety concerns imposed on Botswana after the April 2013 ICAO audit were removed.
The removal of these safety concerns increased the country’s safety ranking above the Africa and world averages,” he said.
At 71 per cent Botswana ranks well above the world average, which currently sits at 63.44 per cent, as well as ranking above the average regional ratings for Africa, Latin America and Asia at 48.24 per cent, 70.13 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively. Regional rankings for Europe and North America are currently highest at 76.17 per cent and 92.32 per cent, respectively.
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Credit: All Africa
