Uganda aviation officers get terror tips

ENTEBBE, UGANDA - Terror experts from the United Kingdom last week conducted a week-long aviation training to impart skills of detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) to staff of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority as they prepare to receive the Pope.

“The IED kits will assist to broaden aviation security detection capability at airports across Uganda,” Alison Blackburne, the British High Commissioner to Uganda said.

Uganda’s State Minister for Transport, Stephen Chebrot said such training is necessary to ensure that Uganda’s Aviation sector doesn’t become victims of the terror attacks that are targeting the global aviation industry.

He said the UK partners did a timely intervention as Uganda prepares to receive the pope.

Blackburne handed over the IED training kits to CAA. The training kits were made by the UK Military experts especially with aviation in mind and included dummy devices that mirror recent threats against aviation around the world, including bombs concealed by a passenger in his/her belongings.

She said aviation is a global business, and through such a worldwide network, everyone is vulnerable to attack.

“As we have seen including the recent tragic attacks in Egypt, we all face the same difficult challenges in defending our aviation industries from the threat of terrorism,” Blackburne said..

She added that countries in the world must help each other and share experiences and best practice in the efforts to improve aviation safety standards.

Rama Makuza, the Managing Director of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority said the training was necessary and a big boost to their already set up security measures.

Pope Francis is expected in Uganda on November 27. He will depart for the Central African Republic on November 29th.

By Paul Tentena, Monday, November 16th, 2015


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