In her role as Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Musayero Barrie is actively leading efforts to remove Sierra Leone from the European Union’s aviation safety blacklist, marking a crucial development for the nation.
Reflecting on an inherited legacy, Barrieโs stated mission is to erase SLCAA from the EUโs blacklist, a status acquired in 2006 when the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) graded the Sierra Leoneโs Aviation Safety Systems at a challenging 18.02%.
This classification resulted in Sierra Leone joining other African nations on the EUโs aviation safety blacklist, restricting flights from these countries to EU destinations due to inadequate regulatory oversight on safety standards.
During her recent participation in the SAATM-PIP meeting at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Nigeria, Director General Barrie engaged in constructive discussions with EU partners and other aviation stakeholders. Her efforts aim to establish pathways for Sierra Leone’s removal from the EU blacklist.
Director General Barrie sees this engagement as a turning point for SLCAA, expressing confidence in creating essential linkages and networks to yield positive results. She emphasized the vast opportunities for Sierra Leone in the aviation industry.
Highlighting the progress made, Barrie mentioned that Sierra Leone achieved a notable milestone by scoring 74.22% in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in May-June 2023. This significant increase surpasses the Abuja Safety Target of 60%.
The Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) monitors states’ safety oversight capabilities, evaluating their adherence to the eight Critical Elements (CEs) of a Safety Oversight System. Barrie, at the helm of SLCAA, has implemented various measures to uplift and transform the Civil Aviation Authority.
As Sierra Leone strives for aviation excellence, Director General Barrie remains committed to fostering positive outcomes and added value to SLCAA.
Sheku Tanga
Sierra Leone Information Attachรฉ
Federal Republic of Nigeria
