Over the next ten months, practising regulators and technical advisors from the UK Civil Aviation Authority will work with their Saudi counterparts to finalise and enable the implementation of the SSP in accordance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices. The project will be underpinned by a knowledge transfer and training workstream, which will include a range of theoretical and practical knowledge-transfer activities (mentoring, coaching, classroom-based learning, and on-the-job training), designed to support GACA in the implementation of KSA’s SSP. The final phase will see CAAi and GACA conclude the Kingdom’s National Aviation Safety Plan, including a range of measures to reduce and measure operational safety risks.
This announcement builds on an agreement signed earlier this year between GACA and CAAi for technical advisory services to enhance Saudi Arabia’s aviation safety regulatory framework.
Representatives from GACA and CAAi at a recent meeting in Riyadh
Speaking after the contract signing, Rob Erskine, Head of International Operations at CAAi, said:
“We are honoured to strengthen our relationship with GACA and look forward to working together on the Kingdom’s State Safety Programme and National Aviation Safety Plan. Since the launch of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Aviation Strategy, the Kingdom has seen tremendous growth with new airlines, airports, and infrastructure. Harnessing expertise and insight from the UK CAA, this project will help Saudi Arabia enhance its safety management and oversight to first-class levels – supporting the long-term, sustainable growth of Saudi Arabia’s air transport sector.”
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms are opening and diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy and society, including the recreation, travel, and tourism sectors. The Saudi aviation regulator is leading the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, a sector-wide transformation programme with a target of tripling passenger numbers to 330 million per annum by 2030.
Captain Sulaiman Almuhaimedi, Executive Vice President of Aviation Safety & Environmental Sustainability at GACA, added:
“We are dedicated to diligently combining efforts and synergising all government capabilities through the effective implementation of the State Safety Program and the National Aviation Safety Plan. The main goal is to proactively identify and mitigate any potential risks. This is achieved through the implementation of a robust and integrated State Safety management system.
“Our ultimate aim is to foster an environment that facilitates the safe and sustainable growth of the Saudi civil Aviation Sector. Thereby, we strive to meet and surpass the strategic objectives that have been set for the sector by the year 2030.”
“We recognise the importance of ensuring the highest levels of aviation safety and aim to continuously enhance our systems and processes to achieve this objective.”
ICAO Annex 19 requires each State to establish and maintain a State Safety Programme – an integrated set of regulations and activities aimed at improving safety – that is uniquely developed to reflect the size and complexity of a state’s aviation system. The SSP is a key platform that allows a State to apply safety management principles throughout its regulated entities, allowing safety oversight authorities and service providers to interact and resolve safety concerns more effectively.
The project will be completed in 2024.
For further details and media enquiries, please contact:
Stuart Coates, International Marketing & Communications
Email: international@caa.co.uk
