South Korea, Uganda in aviation partnership

Aug 15, 2013

The Government of South Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is set to undertake a string of developments at Entebbe International Airport.

By Moses Walubiri

The Government of South Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is set to undertake a string of developments at Entebbe International Airport (EIA) aimed at modernizing and enhancing aviation safety.

According to the Director Airports and Aviation Security Eng. John Kagoro, the ambitious project is part of government’s concerted effort to turn EIA into a regional aviation hub.

The developments will entail the establishment of computerized maintenance management of facilities and systems at the airport, an air traffic management system, enhancement of training and research in civil aviation and a review of the communications navigation and surveillance master plan and airspace redesign for Entebbe Information Region.

The project which is expected to be worth USD$10m (about sh26b), is, according to visiting KOICA president Young-Mok Kim an integral component of Uganda government’s “cherished desire to tap into its strategic location in the region.”

“Being a landlocked country, a modernized EIA can bring great dividends through being a gateway to the region,” Young-Mok Kim said on Monday during a meeting with Minister of Transport Eng. Abraham Byandala and a host of ministry technocrats.

Young-Mok Kim’s visit is a follow-up on discussions held with President Museveni regarding future development cooperation during his visit to South Korea in May.

According to Kagoro the project ounce completed will enhance aviation safety at EIA through-reporting of faults and also improve the flight information displays.

“If a runway develops a crack, it can easily be detected because the reporting of such a problem will be automated,” Kagoro told journalists.

South Korea will also train Ugandans in specialized aviation courses to help the country keep abreast with rapidly changing aviation demands.

This development comes at a time when Government has earmarked USD$448.5m (about sh1.15 trillion) on redesigning and modernizing EIA.

The ambitious project will see the strengthening and widening of the existing runway and its associated taxiways as well as redesigning and re-equipping of the control tower to support future aviation technologies.

Also part of the funds will be expended on constructing state-of-the-art cargo and passenger center complex and terminal complex respectively.

During a recent interface with MPs on the Physical Infrastructure Committee, State Minister for Transport Dr. Stephen Chebrot said the mooted upgrades at EIA have been partly necessitated by the need to meet the 2015 deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organization over a set of acceptable standards for member countries.

 KOICA is the official aid implementing agency of the government of the Republic of Korea in Uganda.
 

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