Africa has managed to elect all eight of its nominees to the 36-member International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) during the UN agency's 42nd assembly, which took place in Montreal, Canada.
The election gives the continent almost a quarter of all available seats, highlighting the global community's ongoing trust in Africa's leadership and shared dedication to influencing the worldwide aviation plan.
The eight African nations—Angola, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda—were approved with strong support, indicating worldwide acknowledgment of their significant contributions and impact in the field of international aviation.
The ICAO Council, which serves as the decision-making authority of the specialized UN agency, oversees the development of aviation safety, security, environmental conservation, and global connectivity.
Lerato Mataboge, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, stated that the outcome, which highlights the contribution of major African stakeholders, demonstrates international confidence in Africa's capabilities.
"This is a moment of pride for Africa. It demonstrates the confidence of the international community in Africa's knowledge and achievements. Our representatives will not only protect Africa's aviation interests but will also keep influencing the global aviation system to ensure fairness, diversity, and sustainability," she stated.
Mataboge stated that the AU will keep collaborating with Member States, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), and other partners to create a more integrated and thriving Africa in alignment with Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
In the most recent ICAO Council term, spanning from 2022 to 2025, Africa was represented by Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mauritania, and Zimbabwe.
Experts note that the recent selection of eight African nations to the ICAO Council highlights the worldwide acknowledgment of Africa's strong performance and leadership in international aviation, keeping the continent's interests central to global policy. With this increased representation, Africa is well-placed to support ICAO’s global objectives, such as achieving Net Zero by 2050, enhancing safety and security for everyone, and ensuring inclusivity.
At the continental level, this initiative will help speed up the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), enhance integration, and promote inclusive development in accordance with Agenda2063.
Florent Serge Dzota, head of the AFCAC, celebrated the result as a significant achievement for Africa's aviation sector.
This renewed mandate marks a success for Africa's aviation industry. It highlights that Africa's leadership and efforts are appreciated by the international community. We anticipate assisting our Council members in making sure Africa's concerns are taken into account at ICAO.
In addition to obtaining the Council seats, Africa showed a united approach by strongly promoting its interests through a comprehensive technical agenda, presenting 16 Working and Information Papers within important ICAO Commissions. This technical involvement was managed daily by the African Union, AFCAC, and the AFI Group to maintain a consistent, unified stance on all significant matters.
Africa's suggestions centered on tackling the specific challenges and prospects encountered by developing countries, integrating goals concerning safety, security, and environmental sustainability. Africa highlighted the significance of aviation safety and air traffic management, presenting eight technical documents that advocated for the creation of new Standards and Recommended Practices related to the application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for economical ground inspections of navigation equipment. Furthermore, it stressed the need for a unified global system to monitor and manage obstacles near airports, thus enhancing operational safety.
The continent also enhanced its suggestions under the topic of security and ease of movement by advocating for the simplification of aviation security systems as part of the Global Aviation Security Plan. Similarly, it called for the revision of international rules to safely permit the use of UAS in delivering hazardous materials, such as vaccines and essential medical supplies—especially in health, emergency, and humanitarian contexts.
Africa's stance was also firm in the environmental area, as it actively supported CORSIA (the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) as the only worldwide Market-Based Measure (MBM) within ICAO. It warned against the implementation of redundant or independent regional MBMs, which might hinder the development and competitiveness of aviation in developing countries, and instead called for unified global efforts in tackling aviation emissions.
Experts highlight that Africa's aviation community has shown the power of togetherness. They stated that Africa's interests will remain well-voiced at ICAO, promoting SAATM, enhancing safety and security, and supporting sustainable air travel worldwide.
As one of the fastest-expanding aviation markets globally, Africa is now in a strong position to drive forward its key program, the SAATM, which accounts for more than 90% of air travel within the continent.
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