KENYA TO CONSTRUCT ICAO OFFICE BUILDING WORTH US$8.2M

Kenya will construct a Sh1.2 billion International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) office block at the United Nations Headquarters, Gigiri within the next three years, Transport Principal Secretary Mohamed Daghar has announced.

Daghar said Monday that the move is part of Kenya’s efforts to support ICAO’s aviation security and facilitation program.

The construction will be implemented by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), a state corporation tasked with regulating the aviation industry in Kenya and providing air navigation services in the Kenya flight region.

“My Ministry(Transport) through the Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has been tasked together with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs through our implementing agency, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, and through the office of the Attorney General to implement and coordinate this policy directive,” Daghar stated.

He was speaking during the opening of the 8th Africa and Indian Ocean Aviation Week in Nairobi on Monday.

The Transport PS further revealed that Kenya will contribute Sh28.7mn to support the aviation security and facilitation program by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Daghar said the voluntary contribution will support the implementation of enhanced aviation security measures in Africa.

He pointed out that the funding will enable ICAO to support the implementation of enhanced aviation security measures in Africa.

“My Ministry (Transport) through the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has been directed to ensure this is achieved starting the next financial year,2024,” Daghar said

In fulfillment of its obligations as an ICAO member state, the Transport PS said that Kenya continues to pursue the shared goal of ensuring a safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable global air transport system.

To realize this, Daghar stated that through a robust and enabling national legislation framework, Kenya continuously adopts and implements ICAO standards and recommended practices to ensure a safe and secure aviation oversight system.

He pointed out that Kenya recognizes air transport as the key enabler to the revival of the global economies.

“Through the National Air Transport facilitation committee and in collaboration with the Border Control Management unit, Kenya is working to safely restore international connectivity and towards contactless travel as per the ICAO requirements,” he added.

The Transport PS further revealed that Kenya now has the prerequisite infrastructure and capabilities to fully participate in the ICAO public-key directory- the Advanced Passenger Information (API) and the Passenger Name Record (PNR).

The move he argues, will see Kenya join the global community in making the passenger journeys seamless.

Daghar lauded the 41st ICAO assembly for adopting a long-term global aspiration goal for international aviation of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 in support of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement temperature goal.

He noted that Kenya is currently implementing the ICAO council-approved sustainability criteria, for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) together with the associated compliance assessment guidance.

“We have taken a keen interest in environmental matters and we will continue collaborating and working together with ICAO towards the achievement of 2050 through capacity building, the provision of an enabling environment in the development and deployment of SAF,” he added.