President Salva Kiir of South Sudan announced on Wednesday that the nation is on the verge of regaining control of its sovereign airspace from Sudan, following the successful completion of the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) by China Harbor Engineering Company (Chec).
During the reopening ceremony of the national parliament in Juba, President Kiir disclosed that the Ministry of Transport and the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority are in the final stages of assuming control over South Sudan’s territorial airspace from Sudan.
“Taking full control of our airspace will enable our country to register airlines and collect fees,” emphasized President Kiir.
The president noted that the ATMS project, initiated in July 2020, was completed in December 2023 and is now prepared for commissioning.
This project, a collaboration between South Sudan and China, encompasses training South Sudanese technicians to manage the airspace effectively.
Key components of the ATMS project include the construction of the Juba ATMS center, a new air traffic control tower and operation building, surveillance and navigation systems, communication infrastructure, and necessary civil engineering facilities such as meteorological installations, calibration flight tests, and personnel training.
In 2016, South Sudan entered a three-year agreement with Sudan under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to jointly manage and control its airspace.
As per the agreement terms, Juba is set to assume full control of its airspace territory after training and establishing a qualified workforce to oversee the system, enabling the collection of fees from all aircraft utilizing the airspace.
