Civil Aviation Regulations Bill Adopted

The bill was adopted during a plenary sitting of the Upper House yesterday, July 16.

Senators during a plenary sitting of the Upper House of Parliament yesterday, July 16, 2013 adopted the bill to lay down Civil Aviation Regulations in Cameroon. The plenary sitting was chaired by the President, Niat Njifenji Marcel, in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali.

The Minister of Transport, Robert Nkili defended the 195-section bill that took over two hours to be examined and adopted. The bill to lay down Civil Aviation Regulations in Cameroon was prepared following the September 2006 audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO of Cameroon's civil aviation security supervision system, which revealed lapses in some aspects of the activity. The lapses government explains, were in terms of laws where it was observed that civil aviation was governed by two laws; Law N° 63-LF-35 of 5 November 1963 to institute the Civil Aviation Code and Law N° 98/23 of 24 December 1998 relating to civil aviation regulations. The bill adopted by Senators was a merger of the two laws which is also consistent with Cameroon's international commitments.

It incorporates new provisions prompted by Cameroon's international commitments. The bill further provides for the establishment of a Civil Aviation Fund which will be used inter alia, to finance civil aviation development projects, pay Cameroon's dues in international civil aviation bodies and finance territorial development through air links bound by public service obligations.

The bill adopted yesterday brings to three bills the Senate has adopted in the pioneer June ordinary session of the House. Two first bills were adopted on July 7. One was to authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the Central African Convention for the Control of small arms, light weapons, their ammunition and all parts and components that can be used for the their manufacture, repair and assembly and another one to authorize the President of the Republic to ratify the Bilateral Air Transport Agreement signed between Cameroon and Turkey.