Fiji Sun

Reforms In Pacific Regional Aviation Space

- FREDERICA ELBOURNE SUVA Feedback: frederica.elbourne@fijisun. com.fj

Moves to advance significan­t reforms in Pacific regional aviation sector will be furthered at the upcoming virtual meeting for regional ministers.

And an analysis of aviation recovery measures from the COVID-19 pandemic will be presented at the second Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting (RAMM2).

The Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) - an internatio­nal organisati­on that provides quality aviation safety and security service for Member States in the Pacific - said the meeting would focus on measures to implement the Port Moresby Declaratio­n on Aviation Safety and Security.

Scheduled for June 22, 2022, and hosted by the Cook Islands, the virtual meeting comes on the heels of successful discussion­s among senior Pacific aviation officials in May.

RAMM2 will build on the success of the last RAMM, PASO said.

The upcoming meeting will talk about considerab­le challenges that face aviation compliance in the Pacific region, PASO said.

The Port Moresby Declaratio­n

The Port Moresby Declaratio­n on Aviation Safety and Security will be discussed in a bid to strengthen safety measures in the Pacific aviation sector, PASO said.

The first Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting in 2021, was convened after a gap of two decades, when it was hosted by the Government of Papua New Guinea.

“The first regional aviation ministers meeting also endorsed the Framework for Aviation in the Pacific, as the catalyst to advance aviation regional developmen­t in the Pacific,” said aviation officials meeting chair, John Hosking, secretary for transport in the Cook Islands.

On track

Amending the Pacific’s aviation treaty, developing a regional aviation strategy, and enhancing a regional aviation organisati­on, are among the top deliverabl­es from RAMM1, Mr Hoskings said.

Mr Hosking said there was significan­t regional progress in the four strategic actions identified in an earlier forum.

“We are ready to present our joint efforts to ministers for their considerat­ion at Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting 2,” he said.

“We are on track.”

Regional engagement

Key documents will be presented to aviation ministers for considerat­ion at the meeting.

According to PASO, the documents incorporat­e widespread consultati­on with officials from 15 Pacific states and key regional stakeholde­rs, including the:

■Pacific Island Forum Secretaria­t (PIFS),

■Pacific Regional Infrastruc­ture Facility (PRIF), and

■Pacific Tourism Organisati­on (SPTO)

 ?? ?? Climate change and envinromen­t protection have made it onto the items of discussion at the second Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting, which will be hosted by the Cook Islands in the coming weeks.
Climate change and envinromen­t protection have made it onto the items of discussion at the second Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting, which will be hosted by the Cook Islands in the coming weeks.
 ?? ?? Aviation officials meeting chair, John Rosking, is also the secretary for transport in the Cook Islands.
Aviation officials meeting chair, John Rosking, is also the secretary for transport in the Cook Islands.

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