SCAA to beef up security to restricted areas of the airport |07 February 2020
An Avsec officer inspecting an access permit pass at the SIA (Photo source: SCAA)
Access to the Seychelles International Airport’s restricted areas is expected to be done more effectively through a new permit office and with the use of technology so as to further adhere to international security requirements.
This project is to be undertaken by the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) with the technical cooperation of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
Dyan Vidot, aviation security manager implementation, was among a delegation of senior Avsec personnel who got the chance to attend a forum in South Africa, to learn more about how they shall benefit from the regional cooperation being provided by the SACAA.
He explained that the new centralised permit office will ensure the approval and issuance of airport entry permit are regulated more effectively for both staff and visitors accessing the restricted areas of the international and domestic airports.
“This will be done with the use of a biometric system – a technology which is mainly used for identification and access control and this is in line with international security requirements,” Mr Vidot said.
Furthermore, they will assist us to set up a quality assurance unit whereby staff will be empowered to maintain effective and efficient monitoring practices to ensure compliance of the implementation of security requirements at the airports, Mr Vidot added.
This technical support is also expected to extend to internships at the SACAA, the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Airport Contingency Programme.
During the visit to South Africa Mr Vidot got the chance to present the SCAA’s organisational structure including that of Aviation security to his South African counterparts.
They also visited the airport operator, the centralised permit office, the landside of the airport and the function of the landside security as well as the training department of the ACSA.
To note it was in September 2018 that SACAA embarked on a programme to assist other states in the South African Development Community (SADC) region to improve stakeholders’ engagement and regional cooperation in the aviation industry. Their aim is to explore different ways state especially SACAA can help each other to proactively, collaboratively achieve safety and security within the region.
This assistance is based on a recent regional cooperation programme to assist developing countries to meet their international obligations in adhering to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
This strategy also extends to the strategic planning and operationalisation of the ICAO initiative ‘No Country Left Behind’, where the SADC States recognise different levels of development and the process of continuous improvement and focus on global standards.
Contributed by SCAA
