Civil aviation authority trains state officials on airport safety

2026-03-15 - 12:07

Officials from eight states have completed a training workshop on air safety aimed at strengthening operations in South Sudan’s aviation sector. The workshop was organized by the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority and concluded on Friday in Juba. It brought together representatives from the Directorate of State Airports to discuss airport management and aviation safety standards across the country. The initiative followed concerns raised by airline companies operating in South Sudan, which submitted papers highlighting security challenges in the aviation sector. Participants also reviewed the country’s civil aviation legal framework, including the Civil Aviation Law enacted in 2012 and later amended in 2014. The law outlines the roles and responsibilities of aviation personnel, particularly in coordinating with air traffic controllers and ensuring the protection of passengers and national airspace. Director of Service Affairs at the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority, Dafae Allah Habib, said the authority is working to improve airport infrastructure and operational standards. He said the current focus is on upgrading facilities at Juba International Airport in order to standardize services and strengthen aviation safety. “At the level of the National Civil Aviation Authority, we have prioritized, in terms of planning, how to approach the airports and the airstrips. Of course, you’ve seen most of our concentration now is Juba International Airport. We are trying to standardize Juba International Airport,” Habib said. Meanwhile, the Director of Security and Support Services at the authority, Philip Kuch, said airports play a key role in national security and require trained personnel to maintain safety. “Our airports are a critical government infrastructure. So, once we say airports, they serve as the security front lines for our country, for these nations. And once we make sure that you are equipped, therefore you will be able to make sure that our airports are safe and secure to deliver,” Kuch said. Participants also spoke about challenges facing regional airstrips. One of the trainees, Christopher Ismail, said many airstrips across the country still lack basic security infrastructure. “Most of the airstrips we operate are not secured with fence. So, unlike one which is a Aweil, it has fence but it also needs some maintenance here and there. Then we lack air terminal to regulate our activities, to actually make proper access control,” Ismail said. He said most airstrips operate without proper fencing or controlled access points. Although the airstrip in Aweil has a perimeter fence, he said it requires maintenance and improvements, and many locations still lack proper terminals to regulate access. Officials say the training forms part of ongoing efforts to improve aviation safety and strengthen airport management systems across South Sudan.