South Sudan has officially requested Ethiopia’s assistance in building its national aviation regulatory system. In line with Juba’s plan to establish a world-class regulatory framework by leveraging Ethiopia’s eight decades of aviation experience, high-level diplomatic discussions were held in Addis Ababa on Monday.
A delegation led by South Sudan’s Ambassador-designate and senior officials from the Ministry of Transport held in-depth talks with Yohannes Abera, Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority. The primary goal of the mission is to secure integrated support for experience sharing, aviation security cooperation, and the strengthening of institutional capacity within South Sudan’s emerging aviation sector.
For the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, establishing a robust aviation regulatory system has been a significant obstacle to economic integration. During the discussions, South Sudanese officials emphasized that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), expected to be signed at the end of this month, is a vital first step within a formal air transport cooperation framework.
One South Sudanese official noted during the proceedings, “We are not just looking for a signature on a piece of paper; we want a blueprint for safety oversight and institutional strength that can sustain a modern national airline.”
Yohannes Abera highlighted Ethiopia’s leadership role in the regional aviation sector, stating that Ethiopia’s experience of over 80 years makes it a natural mentor for emerging institutions in the Horn of Africa. He added that a strong regulatory system is not merely a bureaucratic requirement but an essential foundation for safe air transport operations and the commercial success of any national carrier.
Beyond technical training, this partnership carries significant strategic weight. Yohannes explained that South Sudanese airspace is a critical corridor for Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest carrier. Since many of Ethiopia’s primary westbound routes pass through South Sudanese territory, bilateral coordination on safety and air navigation is a matter of mutual economic survival for both countries.
The discussions also touched upon the highly anticipated establishment of “South Sudan Airlines.” This new national carrier is being developed with direct technical and strategic support from the Ethiopian Airlines Group, a move that further intertwines the economic destinies of the two neighboring nations. As the two countries prepare to finalize the agreement by the end of April, focus will shift toward implementation.
This partnership is expected to yield key results, including the harmonization of safety standards to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements, hands-on training for South Sudanese air traffic controllers and safety inspectors by Ethiopian experts, and expanded operations through increased flight frequencies between Addis Ababa and Juba to facilitate trade and diplomacy.
