Cameroon Signs Two Cooperation Agreements on Search and Rescue of Distressed Aircraft

This cooperation framework was concluded on 27 and 28 September 2019 in Montreal, respectively between the Republic of Cameroon and the Republics of Congo and Equatorial Guinea, on the sidelines of the work of the 40th General Assembly of AOCI in Montreal.

The Minister of Transport of Cameroon Jean Ernest Masséna NGALLE BIBEHE has proceeded to the signature of these cooperation agreements in turn with, the Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and the Merchant Navy of the Republic of Congo, Mr. Fidèle DIMOU , then with the Minister of Civil Aviation of Equatorial Guinea Mr. Leandro MIKO ANGUE.

Indeed, these agreements define the modalities of cooperation between the rescue coordination centers of Brazzaville and the Yaoundé secondary rescue center; as well as the modalities between the center of Yaounde and that of Malabo. They shall also lay down the conditions for the provision, deployment, reciprocal use and coordination, in peacetime, of means of search and rescue of aircraft in distress in the territories of the three States.

In practice, the center providing the direction of operations may request the assistance of the other center in case of aircraft distress. And each of the centers in the context of a SAR operation, will make available to the other, the information relating to the state of operation of the SAR facilities available to it.

After these signatures, the Aeronautical Authorities of the three states will set up coordination mechanisms for better communication between the various search and rescue centers. Ultimately, this mutualization of the efforts of the sub-region will certainly bring a plus in the permanent quest for the standardization as desired by ICAO.