KENYA AVIATION AGENCIES PICK UP THE BALL TO MOVE TOWARDS

UNCLAS NAIROBI 004812 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, AF/EPS, AND EEB/TRA/AN DEPT ALSO PASS TO DOT FOR CONNIE HUNTER DEPT ALSO PASS TO USTR FOR BILL JACKSON MONTREAL FOR USICAO TSA FOR ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN SIPDIS FAA FOR DONNA KRIMSKI SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ECON PTER ETRD PGOV KE SUBJECT: KENYA AVIATION AGENCIES PICK UP THE BALL TO MOVE TOWARDS CATEGORY 1 VIA SAFE SKIES PROGRAM SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During December 6-7 meetings in Nairobi, Kenyan aviation officials and officials from the U.S. DOT and FAA committed to renewed close cooperation to enable Kenya to meet ICAO requirements for Category 1 within 18 months. They also agreed to work with the resident U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer to determine and meet the remaining security requirements for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to be designated as alast point of departure to the U.S. within 18 months. The National Transportation Safety Board will provide training on accident investigation. Similar past Kenyan promises were not fulfilled, but Delta Airlines' proposal to start New York-Nairobi service in June 208, and President Kibaki's interest in the economic benefits of direct U.S. flights, has energized the GOK. If President Kibaki loses the December 27 election, or aviation agency leaders are replaced, it may slow the process. End Summary. Safe Skies for Africa Program -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The goal of U.S. Dept of Transportation's (DOT) Safe Skies for Africa (SSFA) program in Kenya and with the East African Community (EAC) is to help them meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for safety and security oversight (Category One) to position them for direct flights to the U.S., and all the economic benefits that would accrue. Kenyan progress on the agreed action plan towards this goal stalled in 2006-07. U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger raised the issue with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki in mid-2007, and SSFA sent a letter to aviation officials noting the requirements to be met and offering further assistance, if Kenya devoted the necessary effort and resources. In addition, Delta Airlines' announcement of plans to start service to Kenya in June 2008 focused GOK attention on the need to create an enabling environment for the flight. Visit to Revitalize Kenyan Effort and SSFA Assistance -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) At the prompting of Ministry of Transportation (MoT) Permanent Secretary (PS) Gerishon Ikiara, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) DG Chris Kuto invited the U.S. to send a senior delegation to Kenya to get the program back on track. The following U.S. officials participated in the December 6-8 meetings in Nairobi: - DOT DAS Susan McDermott; - DOT SSFA Manager Connie Hunter; - FAA Manager of International Programs and Policy Division Melvin Cintron; - FAA Office of the Chief Counsel India Pinkney; - FAA SSFA program manager Bill Hess; - FAA Desk Officer for East Africa Donna Krimski; - FAA Africa regional rep Moira Keane; - TSA East Africa rep for SSFA Gerald Moore; - National Transportation Safety Board Dennis Jones; and, - U.S. Embassy Nairobi Econ Officer Randy Fleitman ¶4. (U) KCAA DG Kuto personally chaired the meetings, bringing KCAA's managers for safety, airworthiness, security, operations, navigation, planning, human resources, public relations, and consumer protection. Ministry of Transportation (MoT) PS Ikiara led one session, and Ministry aviation officials attended all sessions. The Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) was represented by Deputy Managing Director Matthew Wamala, Security Manager Stanley Mutungi, and Engineering Services Manager Stephen Gichuki. Kenya Airways (KQ) sent Deputy Manager for Government Affairs Anthony Mwangi and Safety Manager Alex Avedi to observe. Offers Plan to Achieve Category 1 in 10 Months -------------- ¶5. (SBU) After detailed discussion of the status of Kenya's efforts to meet ICAO's eight critical safety requirements and Annex 17 security requirements, the two sides committed to renewed close cooperation through the previously-agreed action plan to enable Kenya to meet ICAO requirements for Category 1 within 18 months. FAA Manager Mel Cintron said this would represent a normal pace of progress. He gave a letter to DG Kuto proposing specific dates for future workshops but offered to adjust the dates if Kenya could accelerate the process. He appointed Bill Hess as FAA's Kenya team leader. DG Kuto appointed a small team to coordinate with FAA and produce a timetable to give to PS Ikiara and the EAC partners by January 15. The legal and technical reviews and completion of KCAA's technical guidance should completed by June 2008. Next would be certification of KQ, which should take four to six months if KQ is ready. (The KQ rep said they would be ready.) ¶6. (SBU) The Kenyan side also agreed to work with the resident TSA officer to complete a formal baseline security report by February to determine the remaining requirements for JKIA to be designated a last point of departure. NTSB Jones offered to work with his MoT counterpart to develop accident investigation guidelines by the end of January. KCAA will send the training needs assessment for its new inspectors to Connie Hunter. Kenya Picks up the Ball -------------- ¶7. (SBU) DoT DAS McDermott told P.S. Ikiara and the Kenyan side that the timetable to achieving Category 1 is in their hands. The U.S. remains dedicated to Kenyan progress, and FAA and TSA will work with them intensively as partners, but our resources are limited. The GOK and KCAA must set themselves hard deadlines and realign their budget to hire and retain the necessary inspectors, or use the regional safety oversight body to achieve that goal. PS Ikiara assured McDermott of Kenya's commitment. Delta's proposal and pressure from KQ have made improving aviation a high priority, and the political will is there. He tasked DG Kuto to coordinate Kenya's effort and report regularly to him. KCAA has to complete its staff structure review ASAP. Then it and KAA have to calculate the costs involved in implementing the action plan so he can submit a budget request to the Ministry of Finance. Comment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) It was encouraging to see PS Ikiara and DG Kuto commit to an 18-month time line for completing the process for Kenya to meet ICAO's safety oversight and security requirements to achieve Category 1. Ikiara speculated for the first time that Kenya could achieve Category 1 and security clearance before the JKIA expansion project is completed. In the past, similar Kenyan promises were not fulfilled. However, Delta Airlines' proposal to start New York-Nairobi service in June 2008, and President Kibaki's interest in the economic benefits of direct U.S. flights have energized the aviation agencies. Even if Ikiara and Kuto are committed, the process may be slowed if President Kibaki loses the December 27 election, or aviation agency leaders are replaced. RANNEBERGER