The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Uganda and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce led by their Chairman, Abdallah Sultan Al Owais.
Construction of Kidepo International Airport in Karamoja starts in August.
The MoU is a sign of the deepening relations between Uganda and Gulf partners and another opportunity to cooperate in investment and trade, according to Museveni
Uganda has signed a pact with a business association from the United Arab Emirates to build a new international airport, President Yoweri Museveni’s office said on Friday.
The deal for the East African nation’s third such airport expands the UAE’s economic footprint beyond its interests in the renewable energy and oil and gas industries.
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce chairman, Mr Abdallah Sultan Al Owais signs an MoU for the construction of Kidepo international airport in Karamoja.
The UAE’s Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will build the airport just outside the Kidepo National Park in the northeast near Uganda’s border with Kenya, Museveni’s office said in a statement, without giving the cost.
Uganda’s minister of works and transport, Gen Katumba Wamala signs an MoU for the construction of Kidepo international airport in Karamoja.
Construction will start in August, said Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, chairman of the Sharjah business body.
The airport will boost tourism by drawing visitors to the 1,442-sq-km (557-sq-mile) Kidepo park known for lions, giraffes, buffaloes and other big game.
The agreement was “a sign of the deepening relations with our Gulf partners and another opportunity to co-operate in investment and trade”, Museveni, who witnessed the signing, said in a post on X.
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) and locals living near Entebbe International Airport met this week and discussed the partnership on to control bird hazards that may lead to aircraft accidents. The Director Airports and Aviation Security, Eng. Al-Hajj Ayub Sooma noted that Entebbe being a sanctuary of 1100 bird species , the fight against bird hazards requires a collective efforts hence the involvement of community members in the struggle.
Addressing community members this week at UCAA Headquarters, Eng. Al-Hajj Ayub Sooma said the authority does not believe in working in silos and that’s why community members were brought on board to fight bird hazards.
“There is need to work hand in hand to fight birds which may incidentally crash with the aircraft hence damaging the engine which results into an accident.
Eng. Sooma urged locals to control waste management arguing that wastes attract insects which in turn attract more birds.
‘We need massive sensitization of the community on how to manage wastes. To have good health, we must ensure a clean environment. It’s for this reason that management of Entebbe International Airport calls upon all community members to work together with UCAA in the fight against bird hazards and waste management.
The LC3 Chairperson for Entebbe Division ‘B’, Richard Sekyondo pledged to intensify door to door sensitization campaign in the fight against wastes which attract birds. He also expressed dismay on the poor state of Buku road that connects the airport to Kigungu landing site.
‘We have developed Weyonje program to ensure that people collect their own waste and later recycle it. This would enable us keep our town clean and subsequently would attract potential tourists to reside within the hotels in Entebbe municipality.
‘Iam also concerned with Buku road that passes behind Entebbe International Airport. The road is a total disaster and during dry season it’s dusty and when it rains, it turns muddy. I implore management of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority to look into this burning issue, ‘mayor Sekyondo appealed.
In related news, the manager public affairs at Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, Vianney Lugya Mpungu, has advised delegation of Muslims who plan to welcome their loved ones from pilgrimage starting 21 June, 2024, to park their cars outside the airport facility and that only cars with stickers will be allowed inside the airport.
‘We appeal to the departing passengers to be at the airport 3hours prior to their scheduled departing time. In most cases the number of people who welcome pilgrims is usually bigger as it has been in the past years. We request the pilgrims to liaise with the organizers of Uganda Bureau of Hajj affairs.’
‘ Only vehicles with stickers shall be permitted to access the airport facility to receive the returning pilgrims while the big delegations have been diverted to wait for their people outside the airport at civil aviation authority playgrounds and also the car parking area has been set aside for those waiting for dear ones. This is intended to avoid inconveniencing other airport users at the same to allow those receiving their loved ones to enjoy themselves.’
On the issue of traffic flow at the airport Mr. Lugya said: “In terms of passenger flow in May we recorded 92000 departing passengers and 89000 arriving passengers totaling 181,000 international passengers an average of 5000 passengers per day. On the side of cargo we registered 2000 metric tons of imports and 4000 metric tons of exports totaling 6000 metric tons. This is slightly higher than the previous months from January-April with an average of 5000 metric tons.”
n emergency simulation exercise that involved ‘a crashed aircraft,’ was conducted by Entebbe international airport on Friday, The partial emergency exercise was carried out to test for its readiness in case of an emergency involving a passenger aircraft accident.
The two-hour exercise that started at 11a.m, involved a simulation of ‘Compact Air flight’ (pseudo name), with 100 passengers and crew on board. The exercise assumed that the flight lost power shortly after take-off and crashed at a spot adjacent to runway 12 threshold, before one of its engines caught fire.
It was presumed that 25 people lost lives and 15 of the survivors were critically injured, which sparked off an emergency situation involving airport fire-fighters and other rescue agencies that were called in ‘to save lives.’ Various hospitals were summoned and promptly responded with several ambulances and medical staff.
Vianney Luggya, the public relations manager for Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) explained that such an exercise is a mandatory requirement for international airports of countries that are contracting member states of the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO). “A partial emergency exercise was last held in December 2020,” Luggya noted, adding that Uganda also conducted a full-scale emergency exercise on November 4, 2022.
The stakeholders that participated in the exercise include medics from various hospitals, Uganda Red Cross society, Kazuri medical centre, Uganda Airlines, Police medical services, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), ground handling agents, customs, Entebbe police fire brigade, Uganda funeral services, volunteers and national security agencies among many others.
From left; Emmanuel Barungi the general manager for Entebbe airport, Fred Bamwesigye the director general and Vianney Luggya the public relations manager for Uganda Civil Aviation Authority addressing the media immediately after the simulation exercise on Friday afternoon
Emmanuel Barungi, the general manager for Entebbe airport, explained that both partial and full-scale emergency simulation exercises are a requirement by the ICAO. “With partial incidents, we involve critical responders such as medics, security agencies, media among a few others, whereas, with full-scale, we involve the general public,” Barungi explained.
According to Fred Bamwesigye, the UCAA director general, the exercise helped to test emergency plans, procedures, communication framework, response times and coordination abilities in such unlikely occurrences. Justifying the relevance of conducting such drills, Bamwesigye noted that passenger numbers using Entebbe airport keep increasing every month, hence a need to continue prioritising safety.
A team of fire fighters that responsed to the emergency incident during the simulation exercise at Entebbe airport on Friday
Increased Passenger numbers
In May 2024, Entebbe airport facilitated 92,298 arrivals and 89,036 departures, a total of 181,334 international passengers which is an average of 5,849 passengers every day. “By the end of 2023, Entebbe airport recorded 1.93 million passengers compared to 1.57 million passengers in 2022,” Bamwesigye stated. In relation to cargo, imports were 2,442 metric ton while exports were 4,010 metric tons in May 2024.
The Entebbe International Airport Catholic Association, in conjunction with Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), constructed a Lavatory for Kigungu Primary School, which was jointly commissioned with a project for extension of power to the school to enable the students to study at night on June 6, 2024.
The Headmistress of Kigungu Primary School, Ms Juliet Namanya, warmly welcomed the support at a function attended by the Chairperson of the Entebbe International Airport Catholic Community, Ms Specioza Khaitsa and UCAA’s Public Affairs Officer, Ms Joan Kamwesigye Tushabe, who pledged the Authority’s continued support to communities in the vicinity of the airport, including Kigungu Primary School, among other noble causes.
Members of the Air Transport National Facilitation Committee (NFALC) chaired by The Commissioner Transport Regulation and Safety at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Mr. Winstone Katushabe, held a fruitful interactive meeting and inspected the services and facilities at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday, June 6, 2024, with a view of enhancing the passenger experience
Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, Mr. Katushabe congratulated the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority Board, Management, staff, and all industry stakeholders for successfully concluding the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO Safety and Security Audits.
“The purpose of this meeting is to provide a good forum for stakeholders to share ideas to improve on facilitation of passengers in compliance with Annex 9 requirements by ( ICAO). The NFALC was appointed by the Ministry of Works and Transport in 2005 to operationalize the National Air Transport Facilitation Programme in compliance with ICAO standards to facilitate seamless movement of Cargo and passengers,’’ he said
The participants included stakeholders from the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Private Sector Foundation, Immigration, Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda Export Promotion Board, Ministry of Health, Air Operators Committee members (Airlines), handling companies, Customs, Security Agencies and all stakeholders operating at the airport.
The team was led on a guided inspection of the departure area, Arrivals, airside and other facilities by the General Manager Entebbe International Airport Mr. Emmanuel Barungi.
The safe, secure, and sustainable development of Uganda’s aviation sector will be supported by a new capacity development and implementation agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Fred Bamwesigye, Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) (centre-right); Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO (centre-left); Ms. Mary Hellen Wenene, the Corporation Secretary of the UCAA; and Mr. Jorge Vargas, ICAO’s Director of Capacity Building and Implementation. Members of the Board of the UCAA were also present.
Under this Management Services Agreement (MSA), ICAO will provide Uganda with a comprehensive portfolio of implementation support products and services, including access to ICAO’s expert roster, project management, and customized training packages. This collaboration will focus on helping Uganda heighten its application of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), policies, and plans.
The first initiative under the agreement will be the development of a new National Air Navigation Plan for Uganda. This strategic framework will guide the development and implementation of air navigation services and infrastructure in Uganda over the next 15 years, ensuring alignment with international aviation standards. The plan aims to bolster the safety, efficiency, and capacity of Uganda’s air navigation system.
“ICAO is committed to supporting our Member States in their efforts to develop safe, secure, and sustainable aviation sectors,” Mr. Salazar said. “This agreement with Uganda represents a significant step forward in our shared goal of fostering the growth of aviation in Africa.”
“Uganda recognizes the crucial role aviation plays in our economic development and connectivity,” Mr. Bamwesigye remarked. “By partnering with ICAO and leveraging their expertise, we are confident that we can elevate our aviation sector to new heights and provide better services to our citizens and visitors.”
The signing of this agreement represents a significant milestone in the cooperation between ICAO and Uganda, assuring that as Uganda continues to develop its aviation sector, ICAO will provide instrumental support to ensure progress is in alignment with global standards, plans and strategies.
This number is higher than the 1,300 pilgrims who travelled last year.
A total of 1,600 pilgrims from Uganda are expected to travel to Mecca through Entebbe International Airport between June 1-7, 2024, according to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
This number is higher than the 1,300 pilgrims who travelled last year.
“While we facilitated 1,300 pilgrims last year, we have already confirmed over 1,600 for the first week of June 2024,” said Vianney Luggya, Manager of Public Affairs at UCAA, in an interview with the Monitor.
Due to the expected increase in traffic, departing passengers are advised to plan for more time to avoid missing their flights.
“In the past, pilgrims to Mecca have been accompanied by many friends and family members, leading to congestion on the road to the airport. We advise passengers to plan for extra time to avoid delays,” Mr Luggya said.
UCAA has been working closely with the Uganda Bureau of Haj Affairs to ensure a smooth experience for the pilgrims.
A designated area in the car parking lot has been reserved for pilgrims to gather and receive briefings before their departure. Motorists will also be guided on traffic flow.
In April 2024, Entebbe International Airport recorded a total of 164,705 international passengers, with an average of 5,313 passengers per day.
The departing pilgrims are expected to contribute significantly to the June and July traffic statistics.
“We warmly welcome the pilgrims, who annually contribute to boosting passenger traffic at Entebbe,” Mr Luggya said.
In terms of cargo, Entebbe International Airport recorded a total of 5,721 metric tonnes in April 2024, comprising 1,768 metric tonnes of imports and 3,953 metric tonnes of exports.
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority- UCAA on Friday 31 May, 2024 oversaw test flights at Kisoro Aerodrome, marking the end of a five-month rehabilitation work at the facility.
UCAA Spokesperson, Mr Luggya Vianne Mpungu, in an update issued on Twitter, revealed that the exercise was nearing its completion, with major works done.
Leaders and the public at large have reacted to the completion of the refurbishment with excitement, revealing that the reopening of the facility will greatly enhance livelihoods and facilitate a boom in economic activities.
Mr Tukamuhabwa Robert, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner hailed the government for the intervention, indicating that the resumption of air transport services in the district will greatly facilitate the awakening of economic activities adversely impacted by months of closure.
Tukamuhabwa described tourism as the backbone of Kisoro and projected economic recovery with the reopening of the facility.
He also said that with the tourist boom months of June to September approaching, the completion of the works couldn’t have been more opportune, predicting businesses in the tourism sector to profit more.
Abel Bizimana, the Kisoro District Chairperson said he is excited at the competition of the works and hailed the contractor whom he says has done a wonderful job.
He described the period between the resumption of work at the facility and the eventual completion as ” lost time” due to the hiatus in activities related to the tourism industry but added it was a necessary sacrifice.
Bizimana said the refurbished airdom will ultimately increase the flow of tourists, both international and local, cognizant of the fact that tourism is the lifeline of the Kisoro district.
Kisoro District Chairperson Abel Bizimana.
The District boss, however, expressed concern over the size of the rehabilitated runway which is only 1200m, significantly falling short of the International standard of 2500m for a facility of a similar status. He said that the absence of enough runway at the facility has made it hard for International tourists, with some preferring to connect to the area from Kigali International Airport which he says works for Rwanda other than Uganda.
He also tasked the government to improve on the road network in the areas surrounding major tourist attractions in Kisoro, singling out the road from Kisoro through Mugahinga to Muhavura ranges and one Kisoro to Bwindi. This, he reasons that would go a long way in promoting local tourism while also providing a seamless experience for International visitors.
Responding to Bizimana’s concerns on the size of the runway, Mr Luggya revealed that CAA is planning expansion works on the runway, with another 600m expected to start in the near future.
He notes the difficulty to find additional land for expansion as the reason they can not expand the facility to 2500m at the moment but revealed plans by the government to buy more land to facilitate a complete overhaul.
In November, 2023, UCAA handed over the airfied to Tetra Technical services to undertake the rehabilitation following concerns from users over its dilapidation. The works were to include the runway and associated taxiways.
Kisoro is a popular tourist destination famous for among others mountain gorilla tracking at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi impenetrable National Park.
Luggya then revealed that a feasibility study had been conducted to establish the practicality of the Airdrome expansion into an international Airport with further studies underway.
Entebbe International Airport experienced a remarkable increase in both passenger and cargo traffic in April 2024. The airport handled a total of 164,705 international passengers, comprising 82,247 arrivals and 82,458 departures. This averages to approximately 5,313 passengers per day. This figure represents an increase of 38,515 passengers compared to April 2023, when the airport recorded 126,190 international passengers.
In addition to the surge in passenger traffic, Entebbe International Airport also saw significant activity in cargo operations. In April 2024, the airport recorded 1,768 metric tonnes of imports and 3,953 metric tonnes of exports, totaling 5,721 metric tonnes of cargo handled. This reflects Entebbe’s crucial role in facilitating international trade and the movement of goods, particularly fresh produce like fish, flowers, vegetables, and fruits, which are major exports to markets in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Middle East.
