The Minister of Transport and Aviation, Hon. Kabineh Kallon presents copies of newly ratified Protocols to ICAO Secretary General for the development of International Civil Aviation and the enhancement of Civil Aviation in Sierra Leone.

The two Protocols and Convention were ratified by the House of Parliament, Sierra Leone on the 29th August 2019, together with the Repeal and Replacement of the Civil Aviation Act, 2019.

Laying the Protocols and Convention, the Honourable Minister said the move to ratify the Protocols was a show of commitment on the side of the State, adding that the ratified Protocols and Convention would help to strengthen aviation security.

“I present to you copies of two Protocols and one Convention that were ratified by the Parliament of Sierra Leone. The following Protocols were laid on the Table of the House on Thursday 29th August 2019 and were ratified on the same day,” the Minister said.

Hon. Kallon added: “The first Protocol was ratified to amend the Convention on offences and certain other acts committed on board aircraft done in Montreal, 4th April, 2014. The second Protocol (Montreal Protocol, 1988) was ratified for the suppression of unlawful acts of violence at airports serving International Civil Aviation, which is a supplement to the Convention for the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of Civil Aviation, done in Montreal, on 23rd September, 1971, signed in Montreal on 24th February, 1988; and the third was ratified for the Convention on the marking of plastic explosives for the purpose of detection, 1991.”

The Protocols were signed to safeguard International Civil Aviation from act committed by unruly passengers on board aircraft. The Protocols emphasized on safety and discipline in relation to increasing threat of accidents due to the behaviour of some passengers.