VZCZCXRO9643
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #1791/01 2261438
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131438Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5385
INFO RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEANHA/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHDC
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1366
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0002

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001791 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP 
MONTREAL FOR USICAO 
FAA HQ FOR API-1/AFS-50/AGC-7; DOT FOR X45/C20 
DAKAR FOR FAA REP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAIR SF
SUBJECT: FAA INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY ASSESSMENT CONSULTATION 
WITH SACAA SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED 
 
REF:  (A) STATE 8052, (B) PRETORIA 00937 
 
PRETORIA 00001791  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The FAA has successfully concluded formal 
International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) consultation 
meetings with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), 
validating South Africa's safety oversight system.  Key stakeholders 
participated in the final outcomes meeting at the Department of 
Transport (DOT) and discussed continuing bilateral cooperation. 
Officials reiterated a willingness to engage with the U.S. on 
liberalizing air frequencies, while acknowledging that Open Skies 
negotiations were not likely to be successful at this point.  End 
Summary. 
 
------------------------------------ 
IASA Consultation Meetings Concluded 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) The FAA has successfully concluded formal IASA consultation 
meetings with the SACAA in Midrand, Johannesburg.  The consultation 
team led by Fred Walker was accompanied by the FAA Representative 
for Africa Moira Keane and the meetings took place July 30-31.  The 
FAA consultation team validated the sustainability of South Africa's 
safety oversight system and determined that it met International 
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) minimum standards.  (Note: A 
final determination will only be confirmed officially by FAA once 
the consultation team submits its report to FAA headquarters. End 
Note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) The team verified the completion of corrective measures 
identified in the SACAA action plan during the December 2007 
consultation meeting (ref A).  The team validated the hiring and 
training of adequate inspectors, the implementation of a 
surveillance plan, and the resolution of safety issues.  The FAA 
team expressed its gratitude for the thorough briefing and 
documentation provided by SACAA during this follow-up visit. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Director General of Transport Mpumi Mpofu, Department 
of Foreign Affairs USA Officer Fadl Nacerodien, SACAA officials, and 
Embassy staff participated in the final outcomes meeting at the DOT 
headquarters in Pretoria on July 31.  SACAA Chairman/CEO Captain 
Colin Jordaan thanked the FAA team for its positive engagement 
throughout the IASA consultation process.  SAG officials 
acknowledged that the initial IASA consultations in July 2007 had 
helped South Africa to focus on aviation safety priorities. 
 
------------------------------ 
Continued Bilateral Engagement 
------------------------------ 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Mpofu thanked FAA and Embassy for their positive engagement 
with South African officials and encouraged continued bilateral 
cooperation in the aviation sector.  She acknowledged that ramping 
up capacity was a difficult undertaking, but stated that the IASA 
process was "one of the best learning experiences" for the SACAA and 
DOT.  She noted that the IASA consultations provided momentum for 
South Africa to improve its safety oversight capacity, but added 
that the South African Government (SAG) considered meeting IASA 
minimum standards as the first step in improving oversight capacity. 
 Mpofi emphasized that South Africa would have to continue to 
improve this capacity to keep in line with growth in the aviation 
industry and increasingly stringent international standards.  South 
Africa hopes to model itself as a leader in the African aviation 
sector and would welcome bilateral engagement with the U.S. on this 
Qsector and would welcome bilateral engagement with the U.S. on this 
issue. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Mpofu would like to export the lessons learned from South 
Africa's experience with the IASA process to the rest of the South 
African Development Community (SADC) region and other African 
nations.  She indicated that South Africa has close working 
relations with the U.S. ICAO representative on climate change issues 
and would like to extend cooperation in other areas as South Africa 
addresses challenges in African civil aviation.  She identified 
rising fuel prices and transport costs as a shared challenge.  South 
Africa successfully lobbied to host the ICAO Special Africa-Indian 
Ocean Regional Air Navigation (AFIRAN) Meeting in Durban in November 
¶2008.  Mpofu hopes to use the Durban meeting to promote the 
development of clear strategic plans to address deficiencies and 
promote aircraft maintenance. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Keane welcomed Mpofu's call for increased bilateral 
cooperation and indicated that FAA has developed an Africa-wide 
 
PRETORIA 00001791  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
strategy for 2008-2009 that will focus on ten priority countries. 
Keane encouraged the SAG to work with the State Department to 
identify candidates for the International Visitors Leadership 
Program.  Keane said the U.S. provided air traffic control advice to 
Uganda for VIP visits during the 2007 Commonwealth of Nations 
Meetings and would be willing to make a request to FAA's air traffic 
representatives to provide similar advice to South Africa for the 
2010 FIFA World Cup.  Mpofu expressed appreciation for the offer and 
said she would ask the 2010 aviation task team to follow-up with 
requests for assistance. 
 
----------------------------- 
2010 Provides Momentum for 
Liberalizing Airlift Strategy 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Mpofu reiterated her willingness to engage with the U.S. on 
liberalizing air frequencies, while acknowledging that the time was 
not right for full Open Skies negotiations.  She discussed the 
matter with Deputy Secretary Admiral Barrett during his visit to 
Cape Town in April (ref B).  She noted that South Africa is still 
working through the African Union on the Yamoussoukro Agreement, 
which outlines the process for aviation liberalization within the 
African Union and has precedence over any member-states' bilateral 
or multilateral Open Skies agreements.  However, DOT Chief of Civil 
Aviation Anwar Gany told Transport Officer that the negotiations 
with "Francophone countries were extremely difficult and unlikely to 
bear results any time soon."  As a result, the South African 
Government (SAG) is pursuing liberalized airlift strategies for the 
World Cup on a bilateral basis.  DOT officials described the airlift 
strategy as "eighty percent Open Skies." 
 
¶9. (SBU) Gany said several bilateral negotiations have already been 
successfully concluded.  The SAG recently announced increased 
frequencies to the U.K., South Korea, and Australia.   Negotiations 
with New Zealand are currently underway.  Mpofu said she would like 
to see increased frequencies to the U.S. also.  She noted that 
frequencies to New York were fine, but would like to see more 
frequencies to Atlanta and Los Angeles.  Mpofu stated that Gany and 
his team were available to engage with the U.S. on airlift 
strategies. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Comment.  All stakeholders were pleased with the 
completion of the IASA formal consultation meetings and looked 
forward to receiving the official determination from FAA 
headquarters.  SAG officials expressed a desire to continue to work 
with the USG on civil aviation issues throughout the African 
continent.  In particular, there is a strong desire to engage with 
the U.S. on increasing air frequencies.  They acknowledged the 
importance of the U.S. tourism market and would like to take 
advantage of the impetus provided by the World Cup to boost air 
traffic with the U.S.  South Africa has already successfully 
negotiated several bilateral airlift strategies (e.g. U.K. and 
Australia) and it could serve as a step towards eventual Open Skies 
negotiations.  However, rising fuel prices have already weakened the 
potential of the increased frequencies granted by the new 
agreements.  South African Airways and British Airways have already 
announced that they will not be able to take advantage of all of the 
increased frequencies between the U.K. and South Africa due to 
Qincreased frequencies between the U.K. and South Africa due to 
rising fuel costs. 
 
BOST