Ouagadougou: The Soci©tdes A©roports du Faso (SAFA) and the Union of Airport Managers of Central and West Africa (UGAACO) have commenced a regional seminar on aeronautical pavement management in Ouagadougou. The seminar aims to enhance the skills of airport infrastructure managers from six African countries to improve safety, performance, and sustainability of airport platforms.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the training event, running from August 3 to 7, gathers airport managers, engineers, and technicians from Burkina Faso, Benin, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Togo. The participants are set to receive training in inspection techniques, dimensioning, load-bearing capacity assessment, adhesion, and maintenance of runways, taxiways, and parking areas.
Kiswendsida Alice Ou©draogo, Chair of the Board of Directors of SAFA, representing the Minister of Transport, highlighted that the seminar occurs amid the modernization of African airport infrastructure and anticipated growth in air traffic. She stressed that the skills acquired will enable managers to better monitor runways and safeguard investments that are costly for governments.
Ou©draogo also mentioned that Burkina Faso is progressing with its airport sector reform through the operationalization of the Soci©tdes A©roports du Faso, which is charged with modernizing, securing, and managing national airport infrastructure in line with international standards. She added that the seminar underscores the vitality of cooperation between airport managers in West and Central Africa, aiming for a safer, more efficient, and resilient air transport system.
Burkina Faso has embarked on significant airport sector reform, establishing the Soci©tdes A©roports du Faso in June 2025, which became fully functional on January 1, 2026. The mission of this public company is to develop, modernize, secure, optimize, and manage national airport infrastructure according to international standards.
This training coincides with African states undertaking major projects to modernize and certify their airport facilities, such as the new Donsin airport project, the modernization of Bobo-Dioulasso International Airport, and similar projects in Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Rwanda, and Guinea.
Fay§al Ou©draogo, Secretary General of SAFA, explained the training aims to equip professionals with modern methods for designing, diagnosing, and repairing aeronautical pavements to anticipate degradation and ensure safe takeoff and landing operations. UGAACO representative Simon Kabor© noted that this session addresses shortcomings identified during regional audits in airport infrastructure management and is part of strengthening cooperation between airports in Central and West Africa.