From AOPA Namibia to the NCAA ED
15 August 2023
Dear Ms. Sem,
SUBJECT: MARCH 2024 INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION (ICAO) UNIVERSAL SAFETY OVERSIGHT AUDIT
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Namibia (AOPA) recently became aware that ICAO published an Electronic Bulletin, dated 29 June 2023, indicating that Namibia will undergo ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit during the period of 6 – 18 March, 2024.
Due to this important ICAO announcement, AOPA submits the following urgent requests to your esteemed office:
- Because achieving a successful ICAO audit outcome is of critical importance to both the NCAA and entire Namibian aviation industry, AOPA kindly requests you provide us with all available information related to said audit so the aviation industry can be maximally prepared to help achieve this shared goal.
- AOPA has been forewarned by multiple NCAA employees that most of the NCAA’s future time and resources will be diverted to working on ICAO audit preparations.
If true, AOPA kindly requests the Executive Director publish and share with industry a formal mitigation plan for how the NCAA will avert delays to aviation service delivery as well as impacts to aviation safety that could result from such NCAA resource diversions. - AOPA has been informed that the Minister of Works and Transport, the Hon. John Mutorwa, has established a committee to address ICAO audit issues, with Ms. Esther Kaapanda appointed as the committee chair.
AOPA kindly requests your esteemed office make a recommendation to the Hon. Minister that AOPA’s Vice President, Mr. Christian Sell, be invited to join said committee as an AOPA and aviation industry representative.
Like the NCAA, AOPA and our Namibian aviation industry are committed to doing everything we can to achieve a successful ICAO audit outcome while making sure safe and secure aviation operations continue without undue impact.
AOPA eagerly awaits your response to the above requests so industry can do its part to help the NCAA complete the ICAO audit with a positive outcome.
Faithfully yours,
Matthew Totten Jr
CEO
AOPA NAMIBIA
