The Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Organization (Bagasoo) says that the aviation safety profile of member countries has been significantly improved.
Bagasoo Executive Director Jailza Soraya celebrated the 15th anniversary of the “integration,” a “consolidation on current interests for enhancing aviation safety,” during the two-day Bagasoo Safety Conference, the two-day Bagasoo Safety Conference, which was the theme of the 2025-day Bagasoo Safety Conference.
Soraya said since its establishment in 2009, efforts to implement Bagasoo's international safety protocols have significantly improved aviation safety in the region, increasing from 40% to 63%.
Additionally, Bagasse Soo is strengthening its surveillance mechanism across member states.
She said: “This conference is an opportunity to look back on our journey and shape the future of aviation safety in the Bag region.
“In addition to the $1 safety levy, Bagasse Soo's mission has also expanded its mission to include security surveillance systems, a key milestone in strengthening its aviation governance architecture,” she said.
Impact contributions
Nigeria's Minister of Aerospace and Space Development Festus keyamo declared his Aerospace Development Minister while holding a meeting, Bagasse Soo praised his influential contribution to aviation safety in the sub-region.
He said Bagasse Soo has evolved into a model of regional cooperation, strengthening safety monitoring, regulatory harmony and capacity building across member states.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Bagasse Soo Board Chairman Chris Najomo described the milestone as evidence of the visionary leadership, dedication and strategic partnership that maintained the organization through a changing era.
“Looking back at our journey, we recommend ourselves for future goals, including deepening collaboration, adopting innovation and integrating the benefits we have created for the safer and more resilient aviation sector in our region,” Najomo emphasized.
Eve Conigue, senior cooperative director for sub-Saharan Africa at the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), highlighted the partnership with Bagasse Soo, noting that participation in the conference will allow them to exchange knowledge about aviation safety and share best practices.
“For the past year, we have supported Bagasse Soo with training, regulatory guidance and active participation in local initiatives,” Konig said.
Also, engineer Richard Gattete, executive director of the East African Community Civil Aviation Safety Monitoring Agency (CASOA), looked at the importance of the conference towards developing a unified regulatory framework across the African continent.
He further urged Bagasse Soo to develop a unified regulatory framework across the African continent, highlighting the importance of conferences as a platform for regional integration and learning.
“We are here to share our journey and learn from Bagasse Soo's advances. Ultimately we would like to integrate these efforts under a broader framework, such as the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC),” he explained.
Gatete praises key stakeholders who have gathered key stakeholders from across the continent, calling the conference a “peculiar stepping stone for action” towards a more effective and harmonious African aviation system.
The Banjul Accord Group (Bag) Aviation Safety monitoring organization is known as Bagasoo. Bagasse Soo aims to strengthen member states' safety monitoring and accident investigation capabilities. This includes Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea and Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Bagasoo was founded in 2009 with the Banjul Accord Group Action Investigating Agency (Bagaia) to enhance aviation safety and security in sub-regions of West Africa.
The organization works closely with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to achieve its goals;
Lattefa Ibrahim
