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Nigeria, Benin Sign Cross Border Search, Rescue Agreement

National vector fabric wave flags of Benin and Nigeria isolated on white background. 1 to 2 proportion.
Written by Bunmi Abdulraheem

Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its West African counterpart, Benin Republic on Aeronautical Search and Rescue (S&R).

In a statement, Director-General Civil Aviation, Captain Musa Nuhu who signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria in Cotonou, Benin Republic, said that this relationship would further enhance air safety operations in the region especially between the two countries.

Captain Nuhu said the partnership on air safety between the two countries was long overdue, noting that Nigeria would also go further by signing such an agreement with its other neighbouring African countries.

He mentioned that the country would sign a similar agreement with Togo and Tchad on Friday, while Cameroon would follow shortly.

In his comment, Director-General, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), Benin Republic, Mr Karl Legba lauded the Nigerian Government for the leadership role played in civil aviation in the region and the continent as a whole.

“Nigeria is keen on improving air safety in the West African region. Apart from the region, we also want to ensure that African airspace is safe at all times. We need to consistently improve our relationships on the continent, starting from the region” he said.

The statement also announced that Nigeria was also considering signing a bilateral technical agreement with South Africa.

The meeting between the two countries’ Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), happened on the sidelines of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), which comprised the continent’s CAAs Directors-General meeting still ongoing in Dakar, Senegal.

RN