(Business in Cameroon) – To secure Cameroon’s backing for its candidate in the upcoming election for the new director general of the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), Gabon has ramped up its diplomatic efforts. On September 14, Gabonese Transport Minister Dieudonné Loïc Ndinga Moudouma met with Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, as well as other key officials, including Minister of External Relations Lejeune Mbella Mbella and Minister of Transport Jean Ernest Masséna Ngallé Bibéhé.
During these meetings, Ndinga Moudouma strongly advocated for Prosper Zo’o Minto’o, Gabon’s candidate for the ASECNA director general position. At 64, Zo’o Minto’o brings extensive experience in civil aviation. He is currently the Director of the Central and West Africa Regional Office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO-WACAF) in Dakar. He has also held significant roles with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ASECNA. Gabonese officials believe his experience and qualifications make him the top choice to succeed Mohamed Moussa of Niger.
Cameroon’s support is crucial, given that several other candidates are also in the running, including representatives from Chad, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Comoros. As a founding member of ASECNA since its establishment in 1958 in Senegal, Cameroon has considerable influence in this election.
The election for the new ASECNA director general will take place on September 27 in Dakar, Senegal. The Committee of Ministers responsible for aviation from member countries will conduct the election. The new director general will serve a renewable four-year term, managing the agency by implementing decisions made by the Board of Directors and the Committee of Ministers, with the support of nine directors.
