CIVIL AVIATION IN GABON: MORE TROUBLE AHEAD?

UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000112 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EB/TRA/OTP AND CA/OCS/ACS DAKAR FOR FAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR CASC GB TP SUBJECT: CIVIL AVIATION IN GABON: MORE TROUBLE AHEAD? REF: Libreville 0037 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Gabon's failure to pay a team of international aviation consultants is putting the nation's air carriers at risk of remaining on the European Union list of restricted airlines. On the eve of a March 24-26 EU meeting to review the list, Gabon has made little progress in restructuring its civil aviation authority, and is overdue on its payment to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for aviation experts sent at Gabon's request. Embassy Libreville is following the EU/ICAO review closely and will advise both Mission personnel and American citizens to avoid any airline deemed unsafe. End Summary. -------------- Unpaid Bills -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to Donald Lelievre, head of the ICAO team, he and his colleagues will have to leave Gabon if payment is not made promptly. This, in turn, could lead to an extension of the restriction on several Gabonese airlines, as well as the banning of two additional air carriers that are currently allowed to enter Europe only because of flight-by-flight oversight by the ICAO experts. The ICAO team came to Gabon at Gabon's request, to provide technical assistance to help Gabon's civil aviation authority and the airlines it regulates get off the EU "blacklist". -------------- Positive Preliminary Findings -------------- ¶3. (SBU) There is some good news: Lelievre stated that all four of the banned airlines ICAO has inspected so far fulfill international safety norms. Preliminary findings for "Air Service" and two smaller companies are expected to be made public by the end of the month. Of the banned airlines, the one with the most direct impact on Embassy operations is Air Service, currently our only scheduled air link to Sao Tome (a country 225 miles away from Libreville in the Gulf of Guinea). The Ambassador is accredited to the Government of Sao Tome and Mission personnel and TDY visitors travel there frequently from Libreville. Air Service is also the principal commercial airline we use for internal air travel within Gabon. -------------- Many Carriers Affected -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Since July 2008, the European Union has imposed restrictions on all Gabon-certified air carriers, including a complete ban on most companies. Banned carriers include Solenta Aviation Gabon, Sky Gabon, Nouvelle Air Affaires Gabon, SCD Aviation, Nationale et Regionale Transport, Air Service SA, and Air Tourist (Allegiance). Two carriers, Gabon Airlines and Afrijet, are permitted to enter Europe and to transport officials of EU member states, but are restricted to their present levels of operations and must submit to ICAO oversight for every flight. ¶5. (SBU) Although inspectors have identified some shortcomings with the airlines themselves, the biggest problem has been lack of capacity and independence by the Gabonese civil aviation authority. Beginning in May 2008, Gabonese authorities undertook to reform the civil aviation system and hoped to have the EU restrictions lifted by as early as November 2008. Instead, Gabon may face a tightened ban after the upcoming March 24-26 meeting of the EU aviation safety committee in Brussels. According to Lelievre, the seven banned carriers are likely to remain on the list, and if Gabon fails to pay the ICAO's aviation consultants, Gabon Airlines and Afrijet might find themselves joining the group of banned airlines. ¶6. (SBU) Lelievre noted that Gabon's civil aviation authorities are being cooperative and implementing all of the ICAO recommendations. However, he and other ICAO experts are concerned that the Gabonese have not yet developed the capacity to ensure aviation safety without the technical assistance that they are currently receiving. EU officials also tell us that Gabon's civil aviation authority does not yet have an adequate budget, and that civil aviation officials sought financial assistance to travel to the March 24-26 review in Brussels. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Embassy has attempted, within the limited scope of its available expertise and resources, to track this issue and assess the safety of the affected airlines (reftel). Absent any contrary guidance from U.S. aviation authorities, including the F.A.A., Embassy Libreville will closely follow the ongoing analysis by the EU and ICAO. Consistent with the Department's guidance, including the "no double standard" policy, post will take up any identified issues with the host government and consult closely with the Department before recommending any change to post policy for employee travel or to the standard consular information provided to American citizens. We expect the results of the ongoing EU/ICAO assessment to be shared with us after review and discussion in Brussels. If we determine that it is no longer acceptable to fly the sole commercial carrier servicing Sao Tome directly from Libreville, we may seek additional funds to allow Mission staff to make other travel arrangements and continue to support ongoing programs in Sao Tome. End comment.