South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly passed on Monday the Civil Aviation Bill, 2024 which establishes the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority as an autonomous entity responsible for ensuring aviation safety and security of airspace.
The Civil Aviation Act 2012, Amendment bill 2024 has been amended to conform to the Transitional Constitution and the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
Peter Makouth Malual, Acting Chairperson of the Transport Committee who tabled the bill before the house, said it provides security for aerodromes and compliance with aviation standards.
“The purpose of this bill is to provide a regulatory framework for the Civil Aviation Authority in South Sudan to establish a financial and administrative autonomous institution to supervise, promote, develop and regulate the Civil Aviation Industry,” Malual said.
The bill now awaits President Salva Kiir Mayardit to sign it into law to operationalize activities of the aviation authority.
Natelina Amjima Malek, the deputy chairperson of the parliamentary committee for information, said the bill was passed to the fourth and final reading with all amendments, and recommendations.
South Sudan has witnessed several plane crashes in recent years.
Recently, a military cargo plane carrying mixed goods to Yida in the Ruweng Administrative Area crashed at Yida Airstrip.
In February 2024, a passenger aircraft operated by Africano Company which was involved in transporting returnees who fled the war in Sudan, crash-landed at Malakal Airport. No one was reportedly hurt in the accident.
In April 2023, a cargo plane carrying passengers crash-landed at Juba International Airport. All the passengers came out unscathed.
On 2 March 2021, a Let L-410 Turbolet of South Sudan Supreme Airlines crashed in Pieri, Uror County on a domestic flight to Yuai Airstrip, South Sudan.
In August 2020, eight people lost their lives, while a single passenger survived with injuries when a cargo plane crashed into a farm in the Kemeru area minutes after it took off from the Juba International Airport.
In 2015, 36 people were killed when a Soviet-era Antonov plane crashed just after takeoff from Juba.
In 2017, 37 people had a miraculous escape after their plane hit a fire truck on a runway in Wau before bursting into flames.
19 people were killed in 2018 when a small aircraft carrying passengers from Juba to Yirol crashed.
South Sudan has poor road connectivity, forcing people to rely on air transport.