Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) South Africa CEO, Patrick Dlamini has recently co-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Massimo Garbini, CEO of ENAV and the Italian Company for Air Navigation Services.

The main objective of this ground-breaking MoU is to establish a formal framework of co-operation in the area of air traffic management and to undertake joint commercial activities on foreign markets.

Mr Garbini commented: "This agreement is an important aspect forming part of the panorama of ENAV Services, which we deem to be necessary for improving our position in other markets. This is a further step forward in Italian industrial cooperation, which has often been a limitation for the Italian industrial offer."

In concluding the deal, Dlamini said: "We are very excited about this particular cooperation that we are entering into with ENAV. It [cooperation] will help us to deepen our skills, know-how and extend our services to the rest of the African continent and elsewhere."

The signing takes place against the back-drop of the successful Air Traffic Control (ATC) Global Exhibition and Conference 2012, which took place in Amsterdam RAI, The Netherlands, on 6-8 March 2012. This conference is the largest air traffic management (ATM) exhibition in the international marketplace, bringing together stakeholders from across the entire air traffic control industry.

Now in its 22nd year, ATC Global Exhibition and Conference featured two hundred exhibitors, including air navigation services providers (ANSPs) from across the globe.

The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) South Africa delegation was led by Mr Patrick Dlamini.

On Wednesday 7 March 2012, ATNS hosted ‘AFRICA Night,’ a networking session involving more than twenty ANSPs across the African continent. This session was not only about our African heritage and hospitality, but it was also about recognising the need to have a dialogue and ultimately understanding each other’s needs and requirements.

ATNS has just concluded an extensive study into the African continent, which has two objectives. Firstly, to have a better understanding of the continent’s aviation market and secondly, to find meaningful ways to add value. This study has culminated in our ten year business plan, which outlines our vision in terms of the provision of services and products for the next decade. In the near future, ATNS will be embarking on a number of extensive visits to selected African countries, in an effort to unpack the opportunities that have been identified.

In closing, ATNS is of the opinion that regional harmonization is the key to global participation for the African Continent. It is for this reason that we are the proud hosts of the CANSO Africa office. We will be hosting the CANSO SAFETY and SECURITY CONFERENCE 2012 in SOUTH AFRICA CAPE TOWN from 28 October to 2 November 2012.