The President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) council, Salvatore Siacchitano and the Qatari Minister of Transport, Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, have expressed willingness to partner with Nigeria on the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU), in Abuja.
A statement by Mr James Odaudu, Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the Minister of Aviation, said the personalities made the commitment when they held separate engagements with the minister.
The statement said: The ICAO president gave the assurance when Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, led the country’s delegation to the 41st General Assembly of the organisation to his office at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
According to him, ICAO would always be part of efforts geared towards addressing the manpower needs of member nations in order to service and manage the ever-expanding aviation industry, asserting that Nigeria’s decision to establish the university was a welcome development.
The university, he said, would represent a new channel for the training of professional managers for the industry, especially within the African region, being the first of its kind on the continent.
He promised to personally visit the site for the university during the forthcoming ICAO Air Negotiation event (ICAN) to be hosted by Nigeria in December.
Siacchitano also used the visit to express ICAO’s appreciation to the government of Nigeria for its commitment to the ideals of the organisation, saying the acceptance to host the ICAN event was a clear demonstration of commitment.
Responding, Sirika expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to the ICAO Council President for his reassurance of the council’s earlier pledge to be involved in the university project, informing him that all the necessary regulatory requirements had been met and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The Qatari Minister of Transport, Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, disclosed their commitment at a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, on the sidelines of the ongoing 41st General Assembly of the ICAO in Montreal, Canada.
According to the minister, the government of Qatar is excited to partner with Nigeria by providing some funding and training of its manpower in the university, noting that it would be a better option for his country.
