The President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has pledged to provide to partner with Nigeria in the establishment, provision of funding and faculty of the African Aviation and Aerospace University (AAAU) in Abuja.
The ICAO council president, Mr. Salvatore Siacchitano, made the commitment when the minister of aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika led the Nigerian delegation to the 41st general assembly of the organisation to his (Siacchiatano’s) office at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
The president said ICAO would always be part of every effort geared towards addressing the manpower needs of member-nations in order to service and manage the ever-expanding aviation industry.
He said Nigeria’s decision to establish the university was a welcome development.
The university, he said, would represent a new channel for the training of professional managers for the industry, especially within the African region, being the first of its kind in the continent.
He promised to personally visit the site of the institution during the forthcoming ICAO Air Negotiation (ICAN) hosted by Nigeria in December.
The visit, he said, would give him a clearer picture of the immediate needs and the level of participation of the organisation.
Siacchitano also used the visit to express ICAO’s appreciation to the federal government for its commitment to the ideals of the organisation at all times, stressing that the country’s acceptance to host the event was a clear demonstration of dedication.
Responding, Sirika expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to the ICAO council president for his reassurance of the council’s earlier pledge to be involved in the university project.
He informed Siacchitano all the necessary regulatory requirements for the establishment of AAAU had been met and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Similarly, the Qatari government expressed its readiness to participate in the establishment and running of the university.
The country’s minister of transport, Mr. Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti disclosed this in a meeting with Sirika on the sidelines of the ongoing 41st of ICAO.
Sirika, according to his spokesman, Mr. James Odaudu, was excited by Qatar’s pledge to provide some funding and training of its manpower in the university.
