Aviation safety experts from 12 African countries have gathered at the Happy Valley Hotel for a four-day workshop on aircraft and pavement classification standards, hosted by the Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority (ESWACAA) and the SADC Aviation Safety Organisation (SASO).
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regional Awareness Workshop on Aircraft Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Number (ACR/PCR) runs from 2 to 5 June 2026 and brings together delegates from Angola, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The workshop was officially opened by ESWACAA’s Director General and focuses on advancing understanding of the new ACR/PCR system, which governs how aircraft loads are assessed against runway and taxiway surfaces. The broader aim is to strengthen pavement evaluation practices that support safe aircraft operations and sustainable airport infrastructure management across the region. 
ESWACAA and SASO said the workshop is intended to strengthen knowledge-sharing among aviation professionals and advance regional aviation safety standards.
Civil aviation authorities from South Africa, Zambia, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe are among the participating organisations.
