Legal Seminar in the Gambia
An ICAO Legal Seminar organized by LEB was hosted in Banjul, the Gambia in February 2020. Experts from States (Congo, Finland, the Gambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Singapore and the United States) and international organizations (African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organization (BAGASOO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA)) supported LEB to facilitate the Seminar. More than 55 participants from 27 States and eight regional and international organizations participated in the Seminar. The participants were briefed on the deliberations and outcomes of the 40th ICAO Assembly and its Legal Commission. Participants also shared views on the effective implementation of aviation safety oversight, including the role of Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs); supporting air transport liberalization in Africa through the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM); and challenges in the ratification and domestication of air law instruments. The legal frameworks for air navigation safety, cybersecurity in civil aviation and for dealing with unruly and disruptive passengers were also covered.
Participants welcomed the bilingual seminar as a valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences and asked that States and ICAO support the delivery of the legal function in line with Assembly Resolution A40-28 and consider adopting the rule of law as a strategic objective for civil aviation. The Seminar was preceded by an ICAO International Air Law Course, co-sponsored by the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority, which was attended by 23 participants from African States.
