Namibia and Finland are carrying out a feasibility study aimed at establishing a center for civil aviation, which will focus on civil aviation-related training and education in Namibia and Africa.

Namibia and Finland signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a feasibility study in March 2020 and have now kicked off the project.

The study on establishing the AiRRhow Center of Excellence for Civil Aviation will look at institutional, technical, academic, and economic viability, resulting in a draft business plan for a center of excellence for training and education in civil aviation in the country.

A separate study on physical and digital learning environments will also be conducted.

Finland's Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Ville Skinnari, says the center aims to promote skills development, job creation, and local and regional value addition within civil aviation.

"At the end of the day, we need to create jobs; we need skills development on both sides because the civil aviation industry is developing, and within the next ten years, we will see electrified planes, and of course, synergies between civil aviation and other industries will create huge opportunities for the future."

The Works and Transport Minister, John Mutorwa, says the feasibility study is imperative in identifying the way forward. The center will be established in Keetmanshoop, where there are already facilities that have not been optimally utilized.

"Already there are some facilities that are not properly utilized, and I think for the experts when they get into action with the feasibility study, it is our hope that it will come out with positive results, which will show both Namibia and Finland what the next step is."

The results of the feasibility study will be reported in April next year for further decisions.