The ceremony of issuing of the Airport Certificate to ANATL, E.P

On the 26th of January 2023, the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste (AACTL, I.P) for the first time issued the Airport Certificate and distributed to Air Navigation Administration Timor-Leste (ANATL, E.P) based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. The Minister of Transport and Communications (MTC) in his speech stated that “the emission of this airport certification proving the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (RDTL) commitment as a member of the Chicago Convention in fulfilling our obligation to ensure that the President Nicolau Lobato International Airport (PNLIA) meets both National and international standards. These including the Timor-Leste Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs) Part-139 and ICAO–Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). Based on the Article 11 (b) of Decree Law No. 32/ 2019, empower AACTL to conduct the airport certification process. Therefore, the Board of Directors of AACTL I.P appointed an audit team, which composed of inspectors from the relevant Directorate that was responsable in handling the whole processes, based on the ANATL’s expressions of interest submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste. The certification process was carried out in accordance with ICAO Annex 14, V-1 and with Timor-Leste’s Decree-Law No. 32/ 2019, regarding the Airport Certification. On the other hand, the Decree-Law No. 08/ 2005, November 16 enables the Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste to have continuous oversight the overall activities of civil aviation within the territory of Timor-Leste. Hence, after the certificate is issued, PNLIA will be subjected to a regular inspection by AACTL, I.P. All raised recommendations are required to be carried out, otherwise the certificate may be suspended.

The audit event for the certification process was conducted during a two (2) weeks long, from 13 to 22 December 2022. This certification process was conducted through five (5) stages as shown in the chart. The core part of these stages ware submission of ANATL expressions of interest to AACTL. Then, the AACTL’s appointed inspectors, which are the audit team, conducted assessment to the PNLIA’s relevant manuals and documentation and the last one was on-site assessment.

These including assessments of documents, facilities, infrastructure, technical staff, procedures and working environment. The whole processes were carried out in accordance with the standards that set out in the CASRs Part-139 and ICAO Annex 14-V1. Through all the commitments and the efforts of ANATL in making the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) on the findings, which were identified during the Audit period, the certification process was then concluded. The Presidente Nicolau Lobatu International Airport officially meets the requirements of the ICAO Standard and Civil Aviation Authority of Timor-Leste’s regulations. As a result, on the 26th of January 2023, the President of AACTL, I.P. handed over a certificate to His Excellency Minister of MTC, Mr. José Agustinho da Silva and delivered the certificate to ANATL. It w as done through a formal ceremony that was attended by relevant members of Government, members of National Parliament Committee-E, diplomatic corps and stakeholders. (Click to read Tetum version)