The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has appointed Cameroonian Romain Ekoto as the new Regional Director for West and Central Africa (WACAF), replacing Prosper Zo’o Minto’o. With over 20 years of experience in the civil aviation sector, Mr. Ekoto’s main mission will be to strengthen regulatory compliance, improve aviation safety and security, and support States in implementing international standards.
His priorities include monitoring ICAO’s USOAP and USAP audits, as well as supporting national authorities in the certification of international airports.
Professional Background
Romain Ekoto has held several important positions throughout his career. Prior to his appointment, he was Head of Aviation at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), where he was responsible for developing and implementing the Bank’s strategy to support the aviation sector in Africa.
Previously, he worked at ICAO as a Field Operations Officer, responsible for developing and monitoring assistance to African States, and as a Regional Officer, Technical Assistance and Air Transport, responsible for managing the technical assistance program and promoting air transport policies in the West and Central Africa region.
He also worked for Air France as a Project Manager, where he was responsible for several transformation projects for the digitalization of tools for crew members.
Education
Romain Ekoto is a civil aviation engineer, graduated from the École nationale de l’aviation civile (ENAC) in Toulouse, France. His specialization is air transport, airline and airport management.
About ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an international organization under the United Nations. Its role is to participate in the development of policies and standards that enable the standardization of international 1 air transport.
The ICAO Council adopts the standards and recommendations that govern navigation, radio frequency sharing, aviation personnel licenses, air traffic, etc. It also defines the protocols to be followed during investigations into air accidents, protocols that are respected by the countries that signed the Chicago Convention.
The Organization helps 193 countries to cooperate and share their skies for the benefit of all. ICAO’s support and coordination, since its creation in 1944, have made it possible to establish a unique network of global air links.
