Egypt

1) What have been your achievements in CAA and aviation in your country in 2023 ?

SAFETY

The ECAA Safety Enhancement Initiatives have been established for the purpose of maintaining a resilient State Safety Oversight and establishing an efficient, effective and sustainable State Safety Program, to maintain the highest level of safety performance and reducing the risks to as low as reasonably practicable.

• The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority is in the process of establishing the National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP).
• The ECAA has developed a new Ramp Inspection checklist with a similar layout to SAFA checklist. The ECAA inspectors have attended an awareness session, for the purpose of introducing the newly developed checklist layout and emphasizing the most repeated findings.
• The ECAA is in the process of launching a web portal for mandatory occurrences reporting in accordance with the latest technological development, which is based on the ICAO taxonomy and includes an “I-ERC”.
• Sharing the results of safety data analysis concerning the top 10 findings and top 15 aircraft registrations with higher findings, with ECAA OPS Directorate for targeted Ramp Inspection based on effective planning.
• The ECAA has established an enhanced Risk Based Oversight program for targeting specific operators with a high-risk profile.
• The ECAA has established a base line with all its operators and service providers in applying the ICAO Common Taxonomy by CICTT.
• The ECAA has Established communication with all its operators and service providers in setting-up the minimum SPIs to be measured and reported to ECAA on quarterly basis.
• The ECAA is in the process of establishing guidance materials for the standards of our regulations ECAR Part 19 which is reflecting ICAO Annex 19 (SMS).

SECURITY

• The Advance Passenger Information (API) system has been implemented in all airports within Egypt. The API involves capturing a passenger’s biographic data and flight details by the carrier during the check-in process, then transmits this information electronically to the border control agencies at the destination.
• Successfully passed the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) evaluation. And was granted the acceptance to ship all types of Air Cargo to the United States of America, including Dangerous Goods.
• The ECAA has passed the ICAO USAP (Universal Security Audit Programme) successfully, with a success rate of 87.3%. The USAP aims at promoting global aviation security through auditing contracting states, on a regular basis, to determine the status of implementation of ICAO Security Standards.
• The ECAA has conducted 56 inspections of different Air Carriers and 7 Airports inspections, for the purpose of ensuring the appropriate implementations of the required security measures.
• Egypt has hosted a workshop conducted by the CASP-MID (Cooperative Aviation Security Programme-Middle East), in addition to 2 OJT courses.
• The ECAA has hosted several workshops for Aviation Security topics in cooperation with the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) during 2023.
• The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority has cooperated with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) regarding a number of security topics. Several Training programs have been discussed between the two sides in various security and technical aspects.

Assisting Neighboring Countries

• The ECAA has conducted 10 workshops and training courses for the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority in the fields of Aviation Safety and Security. In addition to qualifying 40 inspectors from the Libyan CAA.
• The ECAA has conducted a specialized workshop for the Libyan CAA, for the purpose of providing them with training and assistance to comply with the ICAO security standards and help in passing the USAP.

• The ECAA has assisted the Libyan side in operating (1788) flights with a total of (147000) passengers and increasing the number of Libyan operators during the preceding year.

Airports

• Egypt has hosted the “Regional Seminar on Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS)” which was held in Luxor, Egypt from the 30th of January to 1st of February 2023. It was organized by ICAO MID, the seminar aimed at following up on the latest updates in activating the advanced guidance and controlling systems of air traffic at airports. Several representatives from Arab and African states have participated in the seminar, along with the Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• Updating the Airport Emergency Plan documents for Several Airports, while adopting a scenario for evacuation in Aswan Airport.
• Coordinating periodic meetings with all Egyptian Airport Operators and project consultants.
• Reviewing the Marsa Alam Airport Development Project (Pavement study, runway efficiency…)
• Developing a project for constructing a new helipad.
• Reviewing the Apron Expansion developments at Borg El Arab International Airport.
• Conducted several Training workshops regarding Airport Rescue services and Firefighting.
• Coordinated with AFCAC in the preparation process of several working papers, which were presented during the ICAO assembly that was held from the 27th of SEP to the 7th of OCT 2022.

Environment

• In view of the role played by Egypt as a member of the Environment Experts Working Groupin the drafting of the Working Papers developed by the AFCAC in coordination with theAfrican Environment Experts and the African Representatives at ICAO (AFI Group), Egypt hadthe honor of presenting the WP/16 by the president of the Egyptian CAA, titled: “Views of AFCACand its Member States on the 2050 ICAO Vision for SAF/LCAF and the Global Framework”during the Third Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) held in Dubai, UAE 2023.

• Egypt was the first African State in the ICAO Committee on Environmental Protection (CAEP) that had been elected as one of the two vice-Chairpersons for two consecutive terms during the period from Feb. 2022 till October 2023.

• Egypt commits to continue coordination and to participate effectively with AFCAC and the African States regarding all matters of Safety, Security and environmental issues.

NAVIGATION

• The ECAA has disseminated and distributed NOTAMs and Flight Plans on behalf of Khartoum FIR.
• Established the AMHS communication line between Cairo and Johannesburg.
• Updated all NAV Aids list and VHF COM list for all Egyptian Airports.
• In the process of restructuring and full optimization of Cairo FIR ATS route network for higher levels of safety and efficiency.
• Updating the ATFM regulations in accordance with the ATFM TF and in the process of certifying the Air Space Management Center.
• Providing training for African states in airspace planning.
• Complying with the AFCAC road map for ANS infrastructure.

World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23)

The Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation has hosted in Cairo the “Preparatory Workshop for World Radiocommunication Conference WRC-23” which took place on the 28th and 29th of August 2023. In addition to hosting the “Seventeenth Working Group Meeting of the Frequency Spectrum Management Panel FSMP-WG/17” which took place from the 30th of August to the 7th of September 2023.

Air Transport

The ECAA has participated in the fifteenth ICAO Air Services Negotiation (ICAN 2023) Event that was hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the 3rd to the 7th of December 2023. It has been a very productive event, where we had the opportunity to conduct meetings and negotiations with numerous states, and finalize or update various Bilateral Air Service Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding, which would have a positive impact on the Aviation sector.

2) What are your challenges and how can AFCAC assist you?

Training needs

The training needs in the ECAA and the Aviation sector as a whole in Egypt have always been immense, due to the size and complexity of the Aviation sector in Egypt. Any help regarding Training would always be welcomed by our side.

The development of a digital workflow

The ECAA is in the process of digitalizing its workflow and all its services, which poses a great challenge due to the nature and size of the CAA’s duties and responsibilities. The AFCAC would possibly be helpful in presenting the best practices from different Civil Aviation Authorities who have overcome this challenge.

5G Risk mitigation

Egypt is set to launch the 5G network services in the very near future, which requires a thorough Risk assessment and appropriate mitigations. The AFCAC could help by providing a model for mitigations implemented by authorities in the aviation industry which could present the best practices regarding this Hazard.

UAS Risk Mitigation

Unmanned Aircraft Systems pose a threat to the Aviation sector worldwide, the ECAA along with the state officials are in the process of developing a state plan in addition to Risk mitigations and regulations for the purpose of regulating the use of drones. The AFCAC could help by providing the best practices from the aviation industry regarding this hazard.

3) Your commitment to SAATM: how are you going to proceed with the implementation?

Egypt has been among the First Eleven states to have signed the Solemn commitment to implement SAATM.

We have constituted an Implementation committee for the Yamoussoukro Decision and the establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market.

We have been granting the Fifth Freedom in all the new Bilateral Air Service Agreements between Egypt and African states in accordance with the Yamoussoukro Decision.

Egypt has hosted several events, workshops and committees including the second ordinary session of the African Union specialized technical committee on transport, transcontinental and interregional infrastructure, energy and tourism (STC-TTIET) in Cairo (14-18 April 2019), which discussed the status of operationalization of the Single African Air Transport Market-Implementation of the Abidjan Priority Action Plan. In addition to hosting the COMESA workshop which was held from the 30th of October to the 1st of November 2023, which aims at reviewing the rules, regulations and policies to conform with the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision in the air transport sector of the Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and Indian Ocean Region.

We have been working on analyzing the various articles of the “REGULATORY AND INSTITUTIONAL TEXTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YAMOUSSOUKRO DECISION AND FRAMEWORK TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SINGLE AFRICAN AIR TRANSPORT MARKET” in addition to the “AFCAC YD-Compliant ASA template” for the purpose of resolving any obstacles within these articles and attempting to align the required rules and guidelines with our national laws and regulations.

4) What can you say about SAATM PIP?

The SAATM PIP is a positive step forward into the Full and accelerated implementation of SAATM.

This Full implementation shall be of substantial benefit to the sustainable development of the African aviation sector and Africa as a whole continent.

It shall contribute to the enhancement of intra-African traffic volume, in addition to a substantial decline in average fare levels and an increase in fare savings. This increased capacity on various routes shall lead to healthy competition.

It shall pave the way for better opportunities regarding commercial arrangements, partnerships and alliances between African states.

This improved air connectivity across Africa shall enhance the economic growth of all African states, along with a noticeable increase in GDP.

It shall be noted that the full implementation of the SAATM needs a lot of work from the respective states in order to diminish and overcome all the physical and non-physical barriers that hinders the full implementation process.