The project results from an agreement signed between the Ministry of Transport and the International Civil Aviation Organization in March last year, with an implementation period of 18 months.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the presentation, Ricardo Abreu explained that the project suffered some delay due to the covid-19 pandemic, but “it is already underway”.
The agreement includes the acquisition of automatic surveillance systems, the ordering and installation of mobile communications systems, data communication systems and navigation aids, as well as an air traffic control (ATC) simulator for the modernization of the Training Center.
It also provides for the training of the staff of the National Air Navigation Company (ENNA) and assistance in the process of migrating from procedural control to vectorization through the different surveillance equipment.
"With the implementation of these new equipment, ENNA - the national provider for air navigation services - and the country fully adopt ICAO's objectives and strategies regarding the capacity and efficiency of international air navigation", underlined the minister, during the presentation in Luanda.
The project aims, "fundamentally, to increase safety in the airspace and the quality of Angolan air navigation services, the restoration and improvement of air/ground and land/air communications, the improvement of working conditions for professionals in this area of activity, the increase in the skills of human resources and the confidence of operators in the use of national airspace", he added.
Ricardo Abreu stressed that the project guarantees Angola access to the best and most modern equipment and staff training in full alignment with the best international practices in the sector.
It will also allow the national aviation sector to attract new customers and, consequently, increase revenue from traffic fees, as well as the financial return on investment due to the increase in the number of movements carried out in the Flight Information Region of Luanda .
"We are committed to ensuring that Angola's civil aviation system is internationally recognized and that it meets the highest international standards of compliance," said the head of aviation authority.
