The recently launched Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum has installed working groups made of technocrats tasked with the responsibility of researching, consulting and deliberating on pressing issues in the aviation industry with a view to develop industry recommendations.
The working groups identified will tackle regulatory reforms, training and skills development, route development and regional and international connectivity, infrastructure Investment, possibility for a future airline, cargo development, aviation’s place in oil discovery and green hydrogen advances, sustainability in the Namibian aviation sector and driving synergies between tourism and aviation.
Chairperson of the Forum’s Steering Committee, Bisey Uirab said that the Forum will seek to learn from the success stories on the continent, ultimately to develop a roadmap for the resuscitation and growth of aviation and related sectors in Namibia and beyond.
“This roadmap will be aligned to the country’s broader economic strategy and vision and I believe the Namibian aviation industry can play a key role in the realisation of the goals laid out in the National Transport Policy, the National Development Plans, and Harambee Prosperity Plan II. What is unique about our approach in this regard is the commitment to develop this roadmap together as an industry.
“The forum will also be mapped with Africa’s vision from economic integration in mind, especially initiatives such as the African continental Free Trade Area and the Single African Air Transport Market,” he said.
For this vision to yield full results, Uirab further highlighted that the Forum will take a holistic approach in order to cover the full spectrum of sectors and subsectors supported by the aviation industry as well as the involvement of a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
Among that core of stakeholders are aircraft operators and airlines locally and regionally, industry bodies overseeing the aviation sector such as Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI) Africa, Local and regional aviation regulators and service providers, tourism operators and representatives (NTB, FENATA and other tourism bodies), local and regional financial institutions (including development finance institutes), Government and other state-related stakeholders to name but a few.
The forum will zoom in on a number of focus areas that we believe provide context for sustainable and inclusive industry growth.
“In this post COVID era, we are conscious of the aviation industry’s role in climate action through the Net-Zero by 2050 commitment at IATA and our pathway forward will embody the values of sustainable aviation and building a greener industry for our future. We are also aware that in order to sustainably grow our industry, we have to create a pipeline for human capital in the country and region at large. Boeing projects that the African aviation industry will need about 67,000 skilled personnel to sustain its growth in the next 20 years. We commit that Namibia will be part of the narrative that feeds into this industry outlook.
“While we celebrate today, the hard work starts now, and the realisation of the outcomes of this initiative will require the generous support of our friends and partners. We will share a sponsorship prospectus to this effect and I would like to welcome your support in helping us see this initiative through. Without partnerships and contributions, this initiative cannot take flight. And we are confident in the value of a united front as we map the way forward,” he said.
One of the deliverables of the project is the creation of a platform to showcase projects and investment initiatives that have the potential to further stimulate the growth of the Namibian aviation sector and related industries.
“We will publish an investment catalogue in the lead-up to the main event in order to serve this purpose and I would like to take this opportunity to invite interested parties and businesses that would find value in their projects in the industry, both private and public.
“We have earmarked 16-18 November as the dates on which the main forum event will be held and it is in the follow-up from this event that a white paper as well as subsequent structural and policy reforms will be generated. In the lead up to this event, the technical working group will be engaging various stakeholders and developing papers and proposals for further discussion at the forum and inclusion in the collective white paper,” Uirab explained.
Namibia Airports Company (NAC) board chairperson, Leake Hangala in affirmation also commented: “The Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum represents a paradigm shift in Namibia, inspired by the challenges of our recent past and our desire and determination to breed excellence for the future.
“The aim of the Forum is to charter a new, enduring but sustainable vision for the Namibian aviation industry. Such a new aviation vision and program must put Namibia to be at the forefront of connecting people and goods from Region to Region and country to continents. For such an aviation sector to be sustainable, it must technologically be advanced in terms of equipment, provide efficient service, safe and reliable. Such an industry must also be accessible and affordable to many of our citizens. More importantly, majority Namibians must be active participants and beneficiaries in the industry through employment, management and ownership.”