Somalia Recognises IATA Safety Audits in Push for Common African Aviation Standards

October 19, 2026 in U by Editor

Somalia’s aviation regulator will recognise IATA’s IOSA and ISAGO safety audits under a new agreement aimed at strengthening oversight and harmonising aviation safety standards across Africa.

 

Somalia has agreed to recognise two International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety audit programmes as acceptable means of regulatory compliance, in a move aimed at aligning the country’s aviation sector with internationally recognised safety standards.

The agreement, signed in Mogadishu on October 18, provides for Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) to recognise the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), complementing its national safety oversight responsibilities.

The memorandum of understanding between IATA, Somalia’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and the Somali CAA forms part of efforts under IATA’s Focus Africa initiative to strengthen aviation safety and promote greater consistency in regulatory standards across the continent.

Among others, Focus Africa is intended to reduce fragmentation in Africa’s aviation safety framework, where differences in national oversight practices and the adoption of industry standards can complicate operations across borders.

IOSA assesses airline operational management and control systems, while ISAGO focuses on the safety and quality of ground handling operations. Their recognition by the Somali regulator provides a framework for using established industry audits alongside national regulatory oversight.

However, recognition of the audits does not transfer regulatory responsibility from the Somali CAA to IATA. The authority retains its national oversight functions, with the agreement establishing a basis for closer cooperation and the use of industry audit standards in demonstrating compliance.

“Global safety standards are the cornerstone of efficient and safe operations,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

He said the partnership would support continuous improvement in safety standards, encourage the adoption of industry best practices and strengthen safety culture across Somalia’s aviation sector.

Alawadhi signed the agreement alongside Somalia’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Farah Nuh, and the Director General of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, Ahmed Moallim Hassan.

The agreement comes as the aviation industry continues to push for more harmonised safety oversight across Africa, where the growth of air transport depends partly on the ability of regulators to maintain consistent standards while facilitating regional connectivity.

Under Focus Africa, IATA has identified safety, infrastructure, connectivity and other operational challenges as priorities for improving the continent’s aviation performance.

A more consistent approach to safety audits could help regulators and operators work from common benchmarks, while reducing unnecessary duplication where audit requirements overlap.

For Somalia, the agreement provides a route to strengthen cooperation with the global airline industry as it develops its aviation oversight framework. For Africa more broadly, it adds to efforts to make internationally recognised safety standards a more consistent feature of the continent’s air transport system.

The wider challenge remains translating such agreements into measurable improvements in safety performance and regulatory effectiveness across individual markets.