Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is set for a major facelift as Kenya looks to leverage the facility as the regional travel hub.
The Cabinet on Tuesday considered and approved the National Aviation Policy, which seeks to maximise the contribution of the aviation sector to Kenya's growth.
A dispatch from Statehouse said the government seeks to enhance connectivity at both the national and international levels and also aims at fortifying the intricate relationship between tourism and aviation.
It said the newly approved policy endeavours to harness the full potential of the aviation sector in propelling Kenya's economic growth.
By prioritising connectivity on both domestic and international fronts, the policy sets out to amplify the sector's contribution to the nation's prosperity.
The comprehensive plan encompasses upgrades to various critical components of JKIA, including the passenger terminal, runway, taxiway, apron and airside facilities.
Some key aspects related to JKIA's medium-term investment plan include the Kenya Airspace Master Plan which outlines the evolution and associated investments to be made by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) in Air Navigation Services (ANS) over the next 15 years.
“To strengthen the linkages between tourism and aviation, and to further cement Nairobi's position as an aviation hub, the Cabinet considered and approved the National Aviation Policy. The policy seeks to maximise the contribution of the aviation sector to Kenya’s growth by enhancing connectivity at both the national and international levels,” reads the cabinet brief.
However, it underlined the necessity to bolster the capacity of the country's international airports to accommodate the burgeoning demand.
Projections indicate a significant rise, with passenger numbers anticipated to soar to 42.1 million annually by 2050.
It is in response to these projections, that the Cabinet approved the JKIA Medium-Term Investment Plan.
The objectives include global and regional consistency, legal/regulatory considerations, and stakeholder expectations. The plan covers operational evolutions, technical improvements, and human resources development.
Kenya also unveiled its National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP) as part of its commitment to enhancing air travel security, which was developed in consultation with national operators and other stakeholders.
Aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP), the NASP outlines objectives, strategic priorities, and safety actions to be taken over three years (2023 to 2025).
Key elements of the plan include identifying national safety issues, setting aviation safety goals and targets, implementing safety enhancement initiatives (SEIs), and collaborating with industry stakeholders and agencies responsible for safety oversight.