Liberia is increasingly asserting itself as a regional aviation regulatory force as the country hosts the 8th Technical Regulatory Review Meeting of the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organization (BAGASOO), signaling growing confidence in its oversight capacity and commitment to international aviation standards.
The high-level meeting, taking place from November 24-28, 2025, at the RLJ Kendeja Resort and Villas Hotel Conference Room in Paynesville, brings together aviation regulators, technical experts, and policymakers from across West Africa to strengthen regulatory harmonization and advance aviation safety reforms.
Stakeholders say Liberia's hosting of the gathering reflects the nation's rising influence within BAGASOO and its readiness to play a leading role in shaping regional aviation policy and regulatory alignment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), Hon. Julius D. Dennis, Jr., said Liberia's leadership in hosting the meeting demonstrates its commitment to aviation safety and regulatory development.
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"Achieving full regulatory compliance with international standards is a critical element in ensuring aviation safety and security oversight," he emphasized. He urged delegates to engage meaningfully in the deliberations and produce practical outcomes that will benefit member states.
Deputy Director General for Technical Services at the LCAA, Mr. F. Augustine C. Tamba, reinforced Liberia's growing regulatory standing, noting that the country is actively amending its aviation regulations to align with the regional harmonization agenda.
"We have been working to ensure that when you take a regulation from Liberia and one from Ghana or Sierra Leone, the only major difference should be the state name, while the content remains consistent," he stated. He described Liberia's hosting of the review meeting as a major milestone in its regulatory advancement.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the BAGASOO Secretariat, the Director for Technical Support and Training, Mr. Jacob Idaewor, praised Liberia for its increasing engagement and leadership within the organization. He conveyed warm greetings and apologies from the BAGASOO Executive Director, who was unable to attend.
Idaewor highlighted that the Technical Committee Regulatory plays a central role in advising BAGASOO's board on regulatory matters, reviewing key documents, and ensuring consistency with international standards. He announced that the committee recently completed a strategy and roadmap for harmonizing aviation regulations and safety oversight systems across all aviation domains--now pending board approval.
During the Monrovia meeting, delegates will consider a plan of action for implementing the harmonization roadmap in key technical areas, including:
- personnel licensing
- airworthiness
- flight operations
- aerodromes
- air navigation services
The plan aims to guide member states in aligning national regulations with regional requirements and support the signing of mutual recognition agreements that will facilitate regional air transport cooperation.
Idaewor noted that regulatory harmonization will help establish a level playing field for aviation activities, promote a single regional airspace and transport market, optimize resource use, and strengthen economic and safety integration among member states.
The meeting will also review a harmonized regional position on the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) amendments and consider revised generic regulations updated to reflect global standards.
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Idaewor praised Liberia for its continued support to BAGASOO, noting that this is the second major aviation-related event hosted in the country within recent weeks, following a successful comprehensive aviation training session.
"Many thanks to the Director General and the team for hosting the meeting," he said.
The Chairperson of the Technical Committee Regulatory, Engr. Godwin G. Balang, is expected to lead the deliberations.
As the conference progresses, aviation stakeholders anticipate that the outcomes will accelerate Liberia's regulatory reform efforts and solidify its position as an emerging regional aviation regulator and key partner in strengthening safety oversight within the BAGASOO region.
