Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI1032
2006-03-08 05:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

Challenges to Airport Certification in Nairobi

Tags:  EAIR ECON PGOV KE 
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VZCZCXYZ0013
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #1032 0670520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080520Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0111
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS NAIROBI 001032 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, EB/TRA/OTP, S/CT
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOT FOR CONNIE HUNTER

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PGOV KE
SUBJECT: Challenges to Airport Certification in Nairobi

REF: FAA 102211Z FEB 06

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. FOR USG USE ONLY

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001032

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, EB/TRA/OTP, S/CT
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOT FOR CONNIE HUNTER

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PGOV KE
SUBJECT: Challenges to Airport Certification in Nairobi

REF: FAA 102211Z FEB 06

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. FOR USG USE ONLY


1. (SBU) Summary: Visiting U.S. FAA airport certification
specialist Ed Dorsett's training for Kenyan inspectors
highlighted many deficiencies at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport (JKIA) that will likely prevent its
certification to ICAO standards until 2007. Regulator
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and operator Kenya
Airports Authority (KAA) agreed to jointly develop an
action plan to institutionalize maintenance, quality
control and auditing systems to meet ICAO certification
standards. However, their challenge is illustrated by the
fact that many of the deficiencies were also noted a year
ago by ICAO inspectors and still remain unresolved. End
summary.


2. (SBU) Airport certification by national aviation
regulators is a fairly new ICAO requirement, and Kenya is
behind schedule on implementation/compliance. At the Cape
Verde Safe Skies for Africa Ministerial, the FAA agreed to
a request from KCAA Director General Chris Kuto to send an
FAA specialist to train KCAA's airport inspectors. Ed
Dorsett spent five days at JKIA, conferring with KCAA and
KAA personnel, accompanying inspectors around the
facilities, checking the issues on ICAO's certification
list and standards, and helping to prepare KCAA's list of
deficiencies. ICAO requires that members certify their own
airports.


3. (SBU) Dorsett found that KCAA's inspection personnel
are sufficiently qualified, properly prepared, and
motivated to carry out their duties. Dorsett and the
Kenyan officials noted many deficiencies that need to be
addressed, some of them urgent, such as lighting and
signage on runways, taxiways and aprons. Mission e-mailed
on March 6 the long list of problems to FAA, DOT, and
EB/TRA.


4. (SBU) At the presentation of the report to a group of
KAA and KCAA officials, KCAA DG Kuto noted that the
deficiencies included real safety hazards that could cause
an accident that would have lasting consequences for the
economy and KAA. Based on what he learned at the Cape
Verde SSFA Ministerial, Kuto stressed that the goal should
not be to pass inspection once and then slide back into old
ways of thinking. Rather it should be to fix the problems,
and maintain high standards to reach the real goal of
achieving Category One status. Kuto expressed his
appreciation for the assistance from FAA and SSFA.


5. (SBU) KCAA DG Chris Kuto and JKIA Manager Joseph Okumu
(KAA) agreed the agencies should jointly and quickly
develop an action plan that defines roles and
responsibilities. Kuto stated that agency heads had to
show the way forward to their subordinates. Kuto proposed
a joint, mass meeting where he and KAA Director George
Muhoho would explain the issue and follow up with a jointly
signed circular on the importance of meeting the ICAO
standards. Okumu said KAA could fund most of the repairs
on the list from the landing fees it collects from users.
He recognized the need for KAA to strengthen its internal
quality control system and implement its new manual for
aerodrome certification as part of its effort to achieve
ISO certification as well.


6. (SBU) Emboffs suggested that inspectors in Uganda and
Tanzania will need airport certification training, and the
East African Community (EAC) will need to upgrade and
harmonize its airport certification procedures. Emboffs
will pursue a regional training session for the EAC.
Emboffs also highlighted the need for effective action,
noting that an accident at JKIA would attract widespread
attention and accusations of negligence that could
seriously impact Kenya's economy by reducing tourism and
air traffic.


7. (SBU) Comment: Dorsett privately noted to Emboffs that
the ICAO inspection done a year ago noted the exact same
deficiencies he saw, indicating a troubling bureaucratic
inertia on the part of KAA and KCAA. His optimistic
estimate was that it would take 6-12 months to bring JKIA
up to ICAO certification standards, but warned that
procurement of necessary materials, parts and equipment
could create additional delays.

BELLAMY