The Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) and the Regional African Satellite Communication Organization (RASCOM) on Friday, January 28, 2022, in Abidjan signed the membership form welcoming ASECNA to the pan-African organization. The membership of ASECNA in RASCOM as a non-signatory shareholder is expected to boost further the operationalization of ASECNA’s satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) for the benefit of the African continent. 

Mr Mamadou SARR, Director General of RASCOM, made a point of specifying that his institution is willing to put its satellites and orbital positions for the needs of ASECNA in view of the deployment of its continent-wide SBAS system. This partnership, which is part of RASCOM’s transformation process, will enable the two entities to fully play their role as tools for integrating the African continent.

Mr Mohamed MOUSSA, Director-General of ASECNA, highlight that the membership of ASECNA in RASCOM is the realization of the vision of the Heads of State of the member countries of ASECNA to promote the use of African satellites for SBAS.

RASCOM was created in Abidjan in May 1992 to manage orbital rights at the continental level and respond to the imperative for Africa to acquire telecommunications satellites that meet well-defined specifications to satisfy the continent’s telecommunications needs in a comprehensive manner. By Resolution 2021 CM67-11, the Committee of Ministers of ASECNA, during its 67th session held in July 2021, having recognized SBAS as an important lever for the implementation of better air traffic control, authorized the Director-General to engage with all stakeholders, both on the African continent and across the world, to enable the implementation of this strategic initiative.