By: Habib Sangar
Today’s rapid economic growth and spillover of research and technologies around the world to some larger extent is attributed to the expansion of business partnership as well as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), who have always been in search for competitive advantages that a region offers at a specific time. Nonetheless, long continental distances that once it took months to traverse as well as had the countries and region isolated from each other, today aviation has shortened such long distances and enabled businessmen/women and owners of the multi- national companies to launch their businesses all over the world and to visit and monitor the progress of their firms in persons at anytime. Today, in worldwide level we have been the witness of significant innovation and development in the field of aviation. Providing of standardized services, flight safety and assurance through utilizing most advanced and up-to-dated technologies have been made possible by well educated and trained human resources. More than ever in the past, today flight safety has given a critical attention. Despite of frequent changes in climate conditions as well as varied geographical locations that affects flighty safety, worldwide competition among major airlines have enhanced the condition of their services, weather predictability as well as made them to provide the best possible services to assure their passengers of the reliabilities of their services. Non- Stop flights with world’s most advanced carriers that have shortened continental distances are among major examples of such innovation and advancement in which human resources have played a significant role. To compete and stay in the business arena, aviation authorities as well as airlines’ have tremendously invested on their human resources and have strove to have them well trained and equipped with utilizing world class resources and technologies.
Subsequent to the formation of Interim and Transitional Governments, Afghanistan unprecedentedly expanded its diplomatic ties oversee as well as has received significant bulk of assistance to rebuild the war- ruined infrastructure, including the civil aviation now. Receiving number of Airplanes by government owned Arianna Airline, enabled Afghanistan to be once again connected with countries in the region as well as to reach destinations in European Nations. Furthermore, private investments which have brought number of airlines (Kam Air, Safi Airline, as well as Pamir) are among the major and extraordinary achievements made in the field of civil aviation of Afghanistan. However, like most of the other sectors of the government, three decades of war enormously left civil aviation with extremely devastated situation as well as forced its professional and technical employees to flee the country for refuge. These all together resulted in poor services and risky flight safety conditions that disqualify our Afghan Airlines to reach European destinations at the moment.
Now, the government is planning to take over the air- traffic and tower control, which is currently managed and led by International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF). Taking into account the importance of the development and expansion of civil aviation operation and transition of such crucial responsibilities to Afghans, number of challenges, both at strategic and operational level need to be addressed. The Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation (MOTCA) with the aim of overcoming the existed challenges, and lack of working capacity in particular, with the assistance of the International Community (IC) and ISAF, has launched numerous training and capacity building programs. As of up-to-date, with direct cooperation provided by ISAF, 6 employees received training on tower control and radar management, while other are scheduled to be conducted soon. The trainees have been awarded with the certificates accredited with the standards embodied in the Rules and Regulations enacted by the Intentional Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Subsequent to the formation of Interim and Transitional Governments, Afghanistan unprecedentedly expanded its diplomatic ties oversee as well as has received significant bulk of assistance to rebuild the war- ruined infrastructure, including the civil aviation now. Receiving number of Airplanes by government owned Arianna Airline, enabled Afghanistan to be once again connected with countries in the region as well as to reach destinations in European Nations. Furthermore, private investments which have brought number of airlines (Kam Air, Safi Airline, as well as Pamir) are among the major and extraordinary achievements made in the field of civil aviation of Afghanistan. However, like most of the other sectors of the government, three decades of war enormously left civil aviation with extremely devastated situation as well as forced its professional and technical employees to flee the country for refuge. These all together resulted in poor services and risky flight safety conditions that disqualify our Afghan Airlines to reach European destinations at the moment.
Now, the government is planning to take over the air- traffic and tower control, which is currently managed and led by International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF). Taking into account the importance of the development and expansion of civil aviation operation and transition of such crucial responsibilities to Afghans, number of challenges, both at strategic and operational level need to be addressed. The Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation (MOTCA) with the aim of overcoming the existed challenges, and lack of working capacity in particular, with the assistance of the International Community (IC) and ISAF, has launched numerous training and capacity building programs. As of up-to-date, with direct cooperation provided by ISAF, 6 employees received training on tower control and radar management, while other are scheduled to be conducted soon. The trainees have been awarded with the certificates accredited with the standards embodied in the Rules and Regulations enacted by the Intentional Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The achievements that have been made in the field of aviation in recent past years, especially training of the employees and their capacity buildings, will eventually enable Afghan government to take over the momentous responsibilities of air- traffic management in the Kabul International Airport. Likewise, a number of them (employees) are sent to Japan, Qatar, Singapore, India, and United Arab Emirates to receive short term and long term trainings in different related fields of civil aviation. Furthermore, in the series of the assistances made by the donor countries, Germany with having its outstanding experts and trainers, conducted a two month “Flight Safety” course that trained 12 employees, who have been awarded with certificates accredited by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Rules and Standards. The Federal Republic of Germany is also intended to help Afghanistan and its Civil Aviation with building its capacity as to overcome the (Flight banned) the listing by the European Commission Safety Committee of the (on) Afghan Airlines, which prohibiting them to enter EU airspace; poor oversight capability and flight safety standards within afghan airlines have been among main problems that need to be addressed.
In a recent agreement signed between governments of Afghanistan and Germany, Germany will assist training of trainers of Civil Aviation Training Institute, curriculum development, construction of classrooms and training facilities, such as hostel as well as laboratories operational with all modern tools and equipments. If it is implemented, this very important and vital project (Civil Aviation Training Institute) will likely to be upgraded to a unique and unprecedented Afghan Civil Aviation Academy in the region, the one that will offer bachelor and other advanced degrees.
Similarly, in a joint effort with the Afghan government, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has recently conducted 6 week capacity building course wherein around 20 employees from Blakh, Herat, Nanagarhar provinces as well as the capital Kabul were among the participants. Nonetheless, to avail ourselves of the resources and expertise provided by the International Security Assistance Forces and donor countries as whole, extensive efforts have to be placed in order to train civil aviation employees and institutionalize civil aviation system as per the ICAO standards. At this very critical moment, we, the Afghans rely on continual assistances from the donor countries, as they are very much crucial to meet the challenges we face today. As of its commitment for training Afghan civil aviation employees, ISAF has been preparing for the second series of the capacity building programs that will be conducted as per the priorities determined by the Ministry to build working capacity of its young employees and workforce in general.
In a recent agreement signed between governments of Afghanistan and Germany, Germany will assist training of trainers of Civil Aviation Training Institute, curriculum development, construction of classrooms and training facilities, such as hostel as well as laboratories operational with all modern tools and equipments. If it is implemented, this very important and vital project (Civil Aviation Training Institute) will likely to be upgraded to a unique and unprecedented Afghan Civil Aviation Academy in the region, the one that will offer bachelor and other advanced degrees.
Similarly, in a joint effort with the Afghan government, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has recently conducted 6 week capacity building course wherein around 20 employees from Blakh, Herat, Nanagarhar provinces as well as the capital Kabul were among the participants. Nonetheless, to avail ourselves of the resources and expertise provided by the International Security Assistance Forces and donor countries as whole, extensive efforts have to be placed in order to train civil aviation employees and institutionalize civil aviation system as per the ICAO standards. At this very critical moment, we, the Afghans rely on continual assistances from the donor countries, as they are very much crucial to meet the challenges we face today. As of its commitment for training Afghan civil aviation employees, ISAF has been preparing for the second series of the capacity building programs that will be conducted as per the priorities determined by the Ministry to build working capacity of its young employees and workforce in general.
In comparison to the rapid progress and development in expanding and renovation of 4 International Airports of Afghanistan, Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Kandahar, current trends of the capacity building of employee of the Civil Aviation to make Afghan self-reliance in handling tasks of tower control, radar management, and ground handling themselves, is not sufficient to fulfill the gaps that is likely to be sooner appeared with the transition of responsibility by ISAF. With the assistance of 52 million Euro committed by Federal Republic of Germany, in Mazar-e- Sharif, a new terminal and tower are (planned to be) being constructed and have it will be equipped with the required technologies and operating systems. However, in parallel to the significant progress that has been made in the infrastructural rebuilding aspect, a comprehensive strategy to train the required human resources of technical and professional employees, is still lacking due to MoTCA's reluctance to comply with the kfw recommendation and urge to decide and publish a call for tender.
It is worth to mention that among 40 airports in the country, currently, 22 are utilized for operations. However, to ensure standardized operation and safety during landing and takeoff, there is a desperate need of having professional and technical personals, (the ones) who have specialized on Fire Fighting and Rescue, Communication, Navigation and Surveillance. Taking into account the transition of responsibilities to the Afghan government and the current trends of capacity building and institutional development, it is certainly difficult to meet the deadline set forth in Lisbon Conference on transition of responsibilities to the Afghans.
Another important point that I would like to rise here is to make a glance on current capacity of the private owned airlines in Afghanistan. Despite of the operation of three private owned Afghan Airlines Kam Air, Safi Airways, and Pamir (currently not operating anymore), almost, all of the pilots as well as the other technical personals are expatriates. It is also very unfortunate to mention that in some of those airlines, the crew members on board are also (foreigners) expatriates as appose to Afghans. Three decades of prolonged war and instability had left us with lack of capability to train and provide our own human resources to take responsibilities of such significant jobs themselves. With the experience of aviation back in the 1960s, Afghanistan had made tangible achievements on this front. Arianna Airline was very popular in the region and could compete with the other airlines around the world. While some of the pilots were trained in Afghanistan, other had received training abroad, especially, in the United States, where there was close collaboration between Pan American and Arianna Airline. Educating and training our own Afghan pilots as desperate need is among daunting challenges that requires joint efforts by all stakeholders as well as the international community. Revitalization of our military aviation university, where most of the Afghan pilots were trained, is of utmost importance to fulfill current gap. Equally, cooperation and investment by the owners of the private airlines in Afghanistan is very much appreciated and is crucial to train aviation personals in Afghanistan. Airlines are the symbol of pride for their respective nations; development and progress made around this field, will more likely to add to enhancing our prestige oversee, and will facilitate progress and development in our nation by making it connected to the rest of the world.
It is worth to mention that among 40 airports in the country, currently, 22 are utilized for operations. However, to ensure standardized operation and safety during landing and takeoff, there is a desperate need of having professional and technical personals, (the ones) who have specialized on Fire Fighting and Rescue, Communication, Navigation and Surveillance. Taking into account the transition of responsibilities to the Afghan government and the current trends of capacity building and institutional development, it is certainly difficult to meet the deadline set forth in Lisbon Conference on transition of responsibilities to the Afghans.
Another important point that I would like to rise here is to make a glance on current capacity of the private owned airlines in Afghanistan. Despite of the operation of three private owned Afghan Airlines Kam Air, Safi Airways, and Pamir (currently not operating anymore), almost, all of the pilots as well as the other technical personals are expatriates. It is also very unfortunate to mention that in some of those airlines, the crew members on board are also (foreigners) expatriates as appose to Afghans. Three decades of prolonged war and instability had left us with lack of capability to train and provide our own human resources to take responsibilities of such significant jobs themselves. With the experience of aviation back in the 1960s, Afghanistan had made tangible achievements on this front. Arianna Airline was very popular in the region and could compete with the other airlines around the world. While some of the pilots were trained in Afghanistan, other had received training abroad, especially, in the United States, where there was close collaboration between Pan American and Arianna Airline. Educating and training our own Afghan pilots as desperate need is among daunting challenges that requires joint efforts by all stakeholders as well as the international community. Revitalization of our military aviation university, where most of the Afghan pilots were trained, is of utmost importance to fulfill current gap. Equally, cooperation and investment by the owners of the private airlines in Afghanistan is very much appreciated and is crucial to train aviation personals in Afghanistan. Airlines are the symbol of pride for their respective nations; development and progress made around this field, will more likely to add to enhancing our prestige oversee, and will facilitate progress and development in our nation by making it connected to the rest of the world.
To conclude, once again, I would like to bring to the attention of Afghan authorities the decisions made in Lisbon conference on transitional process from the IC and ISAF/ NATO Forces to the Afghans by 2014. Part of the transition, management of aviation in the major airports that currently are held by the ISAF and US forces would be turned to Afghan government, and thus far, a memorandum of understanding is signed on gradual transition of the aviation management, in particularly, the management of radar, tower control and so forth, between Afghan government and ISAF. However, in order to further verify long term needs, a comprehensive need assessment is have to be done by the Afghan side to have its human resource needs specified and to put the right people through a transparent and merit- based competition for further required training and educations. The Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan has the responsibilities of ensuring that sufficient salary and benefits have been provided to those employees who are going to be trained for their jobs as well as have been invested on so far. Fortunately, to cover the super skill salary for those employees, 5% of the overall income that generates from the air –transit, is planned to be allocated annually for such salaries. So far, the allocation is approved by the Council of Ministers and is sent for the President’s approval. This will ensure provision of the sufficient and competitive benefits to the employees, which will ultimately prevent them from switching their jobs and escaping to the international organizations and private sectors.
I am firmly hopping to see tremendous changes and progress in the field of aviation, both in terms of quantity and quality of standardized services which I believe is the desire of not only the Afghan government and its international partners, but the world aviation family as whole.
Eng. Abdul Wakil SEDIQI contributed with data and up-to-date information from Kabul
I am firmly hopping to see tremendous changes and progress in the field of aviation, both in terms of quantity and quality of standardized services which I believe is the desire of not only the Afghan government and its international partners, but the world aviation family as whole.
Eng. Abdul Wakil SEDIQI contributed with data and up-to-date information from Kabul
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