South Sudan to establish civil aviation authority
January 27, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan which gained independence from Sudan six months ago on 9 July 9 2011 will soon establish a civil aviation authority that will manage its potential civil aviation industry in the new country, says the Vice President, Riek Machar.
Machar announced the plan on Thursday in a meeting with senior South Sudanese pilots, some of whom have over 30 years of experience as pilots, engineers and technicians in the civil aviation in Sudan and abroad.
He informed the pilots that the bill for the establishment of the civil aviation authority is already before the parliament for enactment.
The meeting which took place in the presence of the minister of Transport, Agnes Poni Lukudu, also discussed the importance of establishing a national carrier that would also manage aircrafts in the airports all over the country.
Vice President’s Press Secretary, James Gatdet Dak, said Machar stressed the importance of the new country investing in the civil aviation industry as a landlocked nation, adding that a plan is underway to build one of the world’s biggest airports in Tali in Central Equatoria state as part of the plan for the building of the new capital, Ramciel, in Lakes state.
He said the country would partner with some of the world’s most advanced civil aviation industries in order to develop its capability and make Tali an international hub.
He further explained that advanced international carriers would handle long flights such as to Asia, America and the Middle East while South Sudan’s national carrier would take care of shorter flights to neighbouring countries as well as internal flights to the ten states.
The pilots expressed their readiness to establish the base for a national carrier. They presented a list of over 50 South Sudanese experts in the civil aviation including pilots, engineers and technicians.
Machar said the issue would be discussed and resolved in the Council of Ministers.
(ST)