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Commissioner of the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Charles Irikefe Erhueh has revealed that Equatorial Guinea has formally declared interest in becoming a member of the Regional Accident Investigation Organisation.
Speaking at the sidelines of the 42nd ICAO Assembly in Montreal on 27 September 2025, the Commissioner confirmed that he met with the Minister of Civil Aviation of Equatorial Guinea, Exemo. Sr. Narberth B. Monsuy Mane Andeme, and the country’s Permanent Representative to ICAO, Mr. Esono Anguesomo E.
According to the Commissioner, discussions were held on the modalities of membership and the pathways available to Equatorial Guinea under the recently amended legal framework of BAGAIA, which was updated in May 2025.
He noted that the engagement was constructive and reflected Equatorial Guinea’s readiness to align with established protocols guiding membership.
“The deliberations focused on the way forward as already provided in the legal instrument of BAGAIA,” the Commissioner explained, stressing that the country’s inclusion would further strengthen the regional accident investigation mechanism.
He described the discussions as encouraging, pointing out that the organisation looks forward to welcoming the countryonce it fulfills the required obligations.
The Equatorial Guinea delegation praised the progress made by BAGAIA in strengthening aviation safety oversight, particularly following its cooperation agreement signed earlier in 2025 with the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC).
They emphasised that Equatorial Guinea views regional collaboration as a strategic pathway to improving its aviation safety framework.
For Equatorial Guinea, the move also highlights a clear interest in building and enhancing national capacity for aircraft accident and incident investigation.
Joining the regional structure would give the country access to shared expertise, pooled technical resources, and structured training opportunities that are vital for effective safety oversight.
Erhueh stressed that the organisation looks forward to welcoming the country once the country fulfills the required protocols, describing the engagement as a positive step toward broader regional cooperation in air accident investigation.
This development marks another milestone in BAGAIA’s expansion drive, reinforcing its role in harmonising accident investigation standards across West and Central Africa.
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