By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA) has begun a comprehensive safety assessment of its revised Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs), reaffirming the country’s commitment to maintaining safe, efficient and modern air navigation systems in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. The assessment exercise was officially launched on Monday, 24 November 2025, during a high-level session held at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi.
Opening the ceremony, the Director General of the SLCAA, Musayeroh Barrie, welcomed participants, partners and stakeholders, describing the initiative as a critical phase in Sierra Leone’s aviation modernization agenda. She stated that the assessment represents another decisive step toward enhancing flight safety, improving operational efficiency and ensuring the nation remains compliant with evolving global aviation requirements.
Madam Musayeroh Barrie traced the origins of the project to Sierra Leone’s longstanding membership in the Africa Flight Procedure Programme (AFPP), a regional initiative launched in June 2014 to build African states’ internal capacities for Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) implementation. She recalled that African States, including Sierra Leone, formally joined the AFPP on 27 May 2014 during the AFI Safety Aviation Symposium in Dakar, Senegal, where ASECNA was confirmed as the Host Administration and Member States signed the AFPP Programme Document.
Since then, Sierra Leone has benefited from AFPP’s training, technical support and regional cooperation opportunities, particularly in the areas of flight procedure design, PBN implementation, aviation safety workshops and quality assurance programs.
“The AFPP was established to help States develop sustainable capability in the instrument flight procedure domain,” the Director General said. “This allows us to meet our commitments under ICAO Resolution A37-11 and maintain the quality and safety of our procedures through continuous improvement.”
She emphasized that the ongoing assessment is essential to ensuring that all risks associated with the revised IFPs are properly identified, evaluated and mitigated before implementation. The revised procedures apply to operations at Freetown International Airport and are necessary to ensure continued compliance with the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Regulations (SLCARs).
Madam Musayeroh Barrie encouraged all participants, drawn from aviation operations, air navigation services, airport management, meteorology and regulatory agencies, to actively contribute to the assessment. According to her, a safety assessment is not an individual task but a collaborative exercise that requires multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure that all operational, technical and environmental considerations are thoroughly addressed.
“I urge everyone to ask questions, offer relevant input and learn from one another,” she said. “Only through collective effort can we guarantee an effective and comprehensive safety assessment.”
She expressed gratitude to the Sierra Leone Airport Authority (SLAA), which sponsored the design and review project, and to the Africa Flight Procedure Design Programme for providing technical design support.
Sierra Leone’s renewed focus on aviation safety and modernization has been complemented by its increasing visibility in global aviation governance. At the 42nd ICAO Assembly held in Montréal, Canada, under the theme: “Safe Skies, Sustainable Future,” SLCAA Director General Musayeroh Barrie served as Vice Chairperson of the Administrative Commission, making her one of the key African representatives influencing ICAO’s administrative and financial priorities.
Her election on 30 September 2025 was hailed as a historic moment for Sierra Leone, signaling the country’s emergence as an important contributor to global aviation policy. As Vice Chairperson, she played a crucial role in discussions surrounding ICAO’s proposed 2026–2028 budget, which outlines investments in aviation safety oversight, environmental protection, digital transformation and sustainable aviation fuels.
Delivering Sierra Leone’s position at the Assembly, Madam Musayeroh Barrie commended ICAO’s Secretariat for its well-prepared budget and urged all member states to support sustained financing for ICAO’s initiatives. She stressed that adequate funding is essential to ensuring that developing countries, including Sierra Leone,receive the technical support needed to strengthen aviation safety and regulatory compliance.
Her leadership at the Assembly was complemented by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sierra Leone Airport Authority and Ng Ada Nama, a partnership aimed at enhancing air navigation services through flight calibration, technical training and capacity building.
The SLCAA maintains that the ongoing IFP safety assessment will produce long-term benefits for Sierra Leone’s aviation sector, including improved air safety, strengthened compliance with international standards, enhanced aircraft approach accuracy, operational efficiency and increased access to ICAO technical assistance.
Madam Musayeroh Barrie concluded by reaffirming her confidence in the process. “Together, we will ensure our skies remain safe, secure and open for future generations,” she said. “This assessment marks yet another milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey toward a world-class aviation system.”
With continued reforms, strengthened global partnerships and a growing leadership role within ICAO, Sierra Leone is positioning itself as a modern and forward-looking aviation nation; committed to safe skies, sustainable development and international best practices.
