Region told to harmonise systems

NOVEMBER 2009

The Asia Pacific region has been told to tighten up air safety, aviation security and enhance regional aviation to enable it to handle the influx of global air carriers flooding its airports.
Directors of aviation systems from governments around the region are warming to the idea that such developments would be ideal through one organisation to serve its unique regional interests better.
They met in Osaka, Japan, last month for the 46th Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) meeting to discuss the issue under the banner ‘Seamless Sky: Bringing Together the Asia Pacific Region’.
The Pacific region told the meeting that there is a need to harmonise civil aviation systems in the Asia and Pacific region that allows regional and international air operators to fly into each other’s airspace seamlessly and at agreed levels of air safety and security.
It is understood the push came from Fiji and was supported by Tonga.
The meeting culminated with the adoption by the DGCA of the “Kansai Statement”, a DGCA multilateral arrangement that has zoomed into ICAO sanctioned practices and standards affecting air traffic management, air cargo security and aviation safety.
The meeting discussed how the harmonisation of aviation rules governing air services would have to be transparent and interoperable.
Fiji, for example, told the meeting that its cabinet has approved its “Harmonisation of Air Navigation Regulations”, tabled by its Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Civil Aviation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.
The five-point Kansai statement puts top priority on the harmonisation of civil aviation systems in the Asia Pacific region.
Japan proposed establishing a regional civil aviation cooperative entity like the MMEC (Multilateral Meeting for Enhanced Cooperation), to coordinate efforts and resolutions of the DGCA for articulation to the Montreal-based ICAO.
The body, it was proposed, is to be owned and led by members of the DGCA in the Asia Pacific region.
Supporting such a body delegates argued it would elevate the profile of the Asia Pacific region in terms of its civil aviation visions and aspirations becoming more visible thus getting more of a voice in global forums dealing with like matters. It would also mean that the Asia Pacific region's DGCA better articulate its immediate needs and wants.
This would also enable members to informally and formally exchange information that would enhance cooperation and collaboration amongst themselves.
However, like any organisation it would come down to securing appropriate finances.
While there was still some reservations, most nations opposed the the use of the Montreal group to be the DGCA’s voice to the ICAO given that the group is an informal arrangement and their mandate does not include speaking on behalf of other members of the Asia and Pacific region.  
While the grouping does look solid as a region, there are still some concerns that the smaller Pacific Islands faced the threat of being overlooked by international and regional civil aviation bodies when it comes to their aviation needs.
The meeting was told that the Pacific region remains largely under-serviced, under capitalised and under-resourced. But it represents a huge chunk of airspace that requires ongoing upgrading of its ATM mechanism and machinery as well as its management.
With the advent of technology and the increasing number of states from across the globe establishing air links with the Asia Pacific region, new air operators are moving into the Pacific.
Invariably, this calls up the issues of air safety, aviation security and the introduction of sustainable environmental-friendly programmes, the meeting was told.