Goma Airport

Goma International Airport (GOM) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a strategic airport used by MONUSCO, a United Nations mission for peacekeeping in the region. Since the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in 2002 when the airport was overrun with lava, operations had become very limited. To upgrade GOM with efficient airfield ground lighting (AGL) systems and optimize operations MONUSCO selected ADB SAFEGATE.

ADB SAFEGATE partners with MONUSCO in Democratic Republic of Congo to improve operational efficiency and throughput at airport. The airport is operated by Régie de Voies Aériennes (RVA), the Congolese Airport Authority and leading airport operator in the DRC.

“The volcanic eruption in 2002 saw the Goma International Airport overrun with lava and ashes covering nearly one-third of the main runway making it impossible for large aircrafts to land and disrupting daytime operations. Night time operations were also affected due to damage caused to the ground lighting,” said Eddy Malumba Kakese, Technical Director of RVA (Régie des Voies Aériennes).

ADB SAFEGATE has been our long-standing partner providing airfield lighting systems and airfield solutions ever since the first airports were constructed and commissioned in the 1950s. Now, with the new airfield ground lighting (AGL) system, 9 out of 54 aerodromes have been re-equipped. With the contribution of MONUSCO and World Bank’s financial aid, we aim to rehabilitate not just the runway, but also the taxiway and parking ground for seamless operations,” Eddy Malumba Kakese continues.

“MONUSCO will be moving its headquarters to Goma, which made it critical to upgrade the airport to the latest standards and make it functional for night time operation. Not only was the new airfield lighting system and rehabilitation of the airport important to our missions, it will have a big impact on the economic development in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said UN Project Manager Engr. Jacques Tshimpanga.

As part of the first phase of the project, ADB SAFEGATE provided various solutions such as airfield lighting systems, generators, floodlights, control systems, constant current regulators (CCRs) and commissioning services to configure accuracy for installed systems. Setting up of these systems has enabled night operations which has increased throughput at the airport. The second phase of the project is underway with the installation of a stop bar utilizing ADB SAFEGATE’s Individual Lamp Monitoring and Control System (ILCMS) with Airfield Smart Power (ASP) addressable airfield lighting technology. The introduction of the stop bar will increase operational safety and efficiency by relieving congestion on the taxiway to reduce the risk of runway incursions, shorten taxi time and save on fuel.

“We offer our customers expertise in key domains of airport operations, including services. As a long-time partner of the UN, we worked with them from the initiative phase to ensure the solutions offered to Goma International Airport matched its every need. We provided support to secure financing, and our team worked endlessly to deliver and install a state-of-the-art intelligent lighting system to ensure safe and efficient operations and flexibility to optimize capacity and throughput,” said Christian Onselaere, CEO, ADB SAFEGATE.

Goma Airport plays a vital role for the African aviation sector, not only for the central African region, but also for the entire continent of Africa.  Its central location will increase inter-connectivity within Africa and secure Goma’s role as a diversion airport, together with other airports in the region, for long-haul routes crossing the continent”, said Alexander Herring, Regional Sales Director Africa, ADB SAFEGATE.

ADB SAFEGATE was selected as the preferred partner after a rigorous round of selection of bidders and traders registered with the UN. ADB SAFEGATE has in the past been responsible for modernizing operations at other airports in DRC including Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi, Kindu, Bunia, and Kisangani.

For more information about ADB SAFEGATE, please visit our website at adbsafegate.com

ADB SAFEGATE is a leading provider of intelligent solutions that deliver superior airport performance from approach to departure. The company partners with airports and airlines to analyze their current setup and operations, identify bottlenecks, and jointly solve them using a consultative approach that enables airports to improve efficiency, enhance safety and environmental sustainability, and reduce operational costs. Our integrated portfolio includes solutions and services that harmonize airport performance, tackling every aspect of traffic handling and guidance, from approach, runway and taxiway lighting, to tower-based traffic control systems, and intelligent gate and docking automation. ADB SAFEGATE has more than 900 employees in more than 20 countries and operates in more than 175 countries, serving more than 2,000 airports.

Vice President Africa