Ms. Jailza Soraya Rodrigues Silva, the Executive Director for the Banjul Accord Group Safety Oversight Organization (BAGASOO) in this exclusive interview with Aviation & Allied Business Journal discusses the 1st BAGASOO Safety Conference (BSC), safety in African aviation, the new one US Dollar passenger safety levy and other issues pertinent to safety in the African aviation industry.
Q: First, we would like to congratulate you on the 15th anniversary of BAGASOO and to ask what essentially is the objective of this Inaugural Safety Conference?
A: Over the past 15 years, BAGASOO has been working closely with its member states but we have over time observed that quite a number of the relevant stakeholders within our member States are not sufficiently aware of our activities. In many cases, even within the Member states, civil aviation safety inspectors are not abreast or well informed of BAGASOO’s work and what we are doing to support them. So, this inaugural conference is part of our efforts to increase BAGASOO’s visibility and it is also a good opportunity to combine this goal with the celebration of our 15th anniversary.
Q: In these 15 years, what in your opinion are the achievements of BAGASOO as an institution?
A: BAGASOO has recorded several achievements. One of our earliest was the drafting of the civil aviation acts for countries that didn’t have such when we started. States that had significant safety concerns at the beginning of BAGASOO we are able to help them to resolve those. More recently expand BAGASOO scope to include aviation security has been a major step forward. Another key development was the approval by our ministers, in April 2025 to implement a USD 1 passenger safety levy charge to address the financial sustainability issues we’ve faced since inception.
Q: On the USD1 Passenger Safety Charge which is most likely going to fall on the passengers, historically our region is known for high charges and operators and airlines are wondering if this $1 is going to be a stop-gap measure, or it is a permanent charge, and if it is not going to be an additional burden to passengers?
A: That concern was anticipated. When we were designing the Passenger Safety Levy Charge it was very clear that we should avoid adding an extra burden on states or passengers. The ministers agreed that any state that has already implemented a similar mechanism, will not add a new charge, but rather remove this one dollar from the mechanism already implemented. Several states are already collecting Passenger Safety Levy Charge, they will simply remove this $1 from what they have already implemented. For example, The Gambia have already included this provision in the Civil Aviation Act. The approach is to properly formalize the implementation of what is already in place. This is what we are working with the states.
Q: For a conference of this magnitude, what would you say are the key terms of takeaways?
A: One of the key takeaways was the discussion on the certification of aerodromes that are not open for international traffic. A panelist rightly pointed that aerodromes not classified as international are operating without meeting the required standards. The overall message was about collaboration-how we can combine our financial and human resources. Rather than working as isolated entities, we can achieve far more through collaboration.
Q: What are your long-term ambitions for BAGASOO?
A: Our long-term goals remain the same: to assist our Members States to strengthen their safety and security oversight systems. From the beginning, this has been our focus, and we want to continue to support the states in implementing the eight critical elements of the oversight system. Capacity building will remain a top priority. Building an internal regional training capacity that enables member States to look inwards and be able to obtain all the resource in achieving self-sufficiency in the area of training and to put an end to perpetual dependence on those external sources that are not cost-effective.
Q: What in your opinion are the issues with data collection in BAGASOO states and how do you work together with the states to resolve this?
A: A key issue is the absence of digital platforms for data collection. Some of the states don’t have the necessary tools in place to collect data. Many States are still relying in paper-based format, which makes it difficult to collect and analyze data properly. To address this we are launching a the new version of Safety Information Management for Civil Aviation (SIMCA) to make data collection easier for the member states. This tools are designed to be user friendly and widely accessible.
However, technology alone is not enough. Resistance to change is common, so we must invest in training and change management. Inspectors must be trained and supported to adopt new tools.
Q: Harmonization and standardization came up very strongly at the Conference. Why is it difficult to harmonize regulations and then standardise across our industry, especially within a small microcosm like BAGASOO?
A: The main objective of harmonization and standardisation is mutual recognition of licenses and certificates among our member States and potentially the delegation of oversight functions to BAGASOO. But this inevitably raises sovereignty concerns. States perceive oversight as a core national function and are often reluctant to delegate it, even within a trusted regional framework like BAGASOO. It’s often that sense of ownership that continues to be a significant barrier.
Q: You are a wonderful lady doing a wonderful job in BAGASOO, and obviously you have come a long way in the industry. What are you doing to encourage more women participation in the African Civil Aviation sector?
A: Last year, Cabo Verde CAA organized a conference where one of the panels focused on attracting young women to the aviation industry. A key outcome was the signing of MoU aimed at raising awareness among young girls through the schools’ visits and workshops. Many young girls are not aware of the opportunities available in the aviation industry beyond pilots. So, it’s important to bring this information to them and help them to explore new avenues in the aviation industry. I’m also involved with some groups that are looking for ways to secure resources, probably through scholarship for girls to join the aviation industry. This is very personal to me due to the challenges I have experienced for instance I faced difficulties in finding a simply personal protective equipment in a size to fit a woman. I’m very passionate about making aviation more inclusive for women.
Q: BAGASOO is doing a good job, building capacity across states, leveraging on its own expertise. But we have the issue with brain drain across states where people are trained and they go elsewhere because industry pays better than government. Is there any solution you have for this or what are you doing in BAGASOO?
A: During the preparation for a USOAP CMA audit, we supported a CAA in developing a succession plan. This succession plan has been meticulously prepared not solely to focus on the current personnel within the CAA, but also to encompass the aviation industry as a whole. For instance during capacity building activities, we extend invitations not only to the CAAs personnel but also invite the aviation stakeholders. This approach ensures that when employees leave the CAA (because that is inevitable, we cannot stop people from leaving), we have created a workforce that is prepared to replace the ones leaving.
Also, personnel turnover is not solely based on individuals seeking for a better job opportunities, but other factors such us retirement age, the aging of licensed personnel necessitate a broad-based capacity strategy development. It’s not sufficient to focus solely on the inspectors you have in the house; the entire aviation industry must be trained to secure the future of the aviation industry.
Talent development in the aviation industry enables the identification of critical skills shortage particularly in specific areas like pilot, air traffic controllers, and also inform strategies to attract these professionals to the CAA. Moreover to attract the aviation professionals, CAAs must offer better compensation, improved benefits and a compelling career vision. By focusing on the key areas and investing in building capacity can cultivate qualified successors who can assume critical roles in the near futures.
