INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION DAY CELEBRATIONS.

The International Civil Aviation Day was officially celebrated at Moshoeshoe 1 International Airport, on Saturday, December 09, 2000.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister for Public Works and Transport (MOPWT), Honourable Mofelehetsi Moerane stated that, the International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated globally on December 7^th and Lesotho could not afford to be left behind in commemorating this historic day.  The essence of commemorating the Day on this date emanates from 1994, whereby the International Civil Aviation Organisation celebrated its 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Chicago Convention.  

The Day is commemorated also because, Lesotho cannot forget the support that the International Civil Aviation Organisation has rendered her.  This support which continues to-date is with due respect to Aviation Safety and Security, acknowledged Minister Moerane.  On the same note, the Minister appealed to the UNDP Resident Representative in Lesotho, Mr. Edward Omotoso to convey Lesotho’s gratitude with regard to the support through to the President of the International Aviation Organisation, Dr. Assad Kotaite.

This year in Lesotho, the 7^th of December Celebrations were conducted in a manner that diverted from those that are literally Civil Aviation oriented.  The Day was celebrated by workshop, with the deliberation of the ‘Civil Aviation HIV/AIDS Dialogue’, whereby focus was on awareness creation and knowledge about the pandemic.  Participants of the workshop included: Positive Action Unit representatives, Ministry of Health with representation of, among others, Disease Control Unit and National AIDS Control Programme Unit, Hlalefang Early Childhood Care and Development Centre, as well as members of staff of the Department of Civil Aviation.

Honourable Moerane pointed out that in July this year, the Department of Civil Aviation of Lesotho held a workshop of stakeholders for the revitalisation and upgrading of Moshoeshoe 1 International Airport.  The workshop was held under the auspices of the Ministries of Public Works and Transport and of Industry, Trade and Marketing.  It was in this workshop from which a Concept Plan demonstrating the role of Civil Aviation in enhancing industrialisation and commercialisation of the Airports was developed. 

 Honourable Moerane again stated that, he attended a conference in Chicago in 1999 on the 55^th Anniversary on, Aviation in the 21^st Century Beyond Open Skies, the main agenda of which was to discuss progress on the liberalisation of Air Services throughout the world.  He indicated that, the fact that Lesotho is party to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, as well as her engagement in efforts to liberalise air transport in the Region ratified her attendance to the Chicago 1999 Conference.

 Honourable Moerane highlighted that he has been informed of the investors who have shown interest to resume domestic air services in the country.  To this end, consultations are taking place.  The Minister further outlined that, serious deliberations with the stakeholders and their agents are also underway regarding the commencement of pilot cargo operations to Europe and the Middle East from the Moshoeshoe 1 Airport.

The Minister concluded by commending the organisers of this day and thanked all invited guests and the public who joined his Ministry in the celebration.

The celebrations were organised with the objective of sensitising the community on the importance of civil aviation in the country.

 During the celebrations, the public enjoyed fun flights around the airport.