Civil aviation leaders of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), France and six Southeast Asian countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on capacity building and safety enhancement in civil aviation for countries in Southeast Asia today (August 8). The MOU, signed at the 54th Asia and Pacific Region Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference being held in Mongolia, solidifies the co-operation framework signed between the Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) of the HKSAR Government and the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) of France on June 22. 
 
     "This MOU marks the first milestone of the partnership between the HKSAR and France in building capacity and enhancing aviation safety within the Southeast Asian region. Civil aviation authority officials from the six Southeast Asian countries will be sponsored to join the Advanced Master in Air Transport Management Programme to be jointly delivered by the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy and Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC). The Programme will begin in December 2017 in the HKSAR," a THB spokesman said.
 
     The MOU was also signed by authority and industry stakeholders from both the HKSAR and France who have committed to supporting the Programme, namely Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon and Hong Kong Airlines of Hong Kong as well as the DGAC of France, Aéroports de Paris and ENAC (supported by Airbus) of France. This demonstrates the sector-wide support for the Programme and recognition of the HKSAR's status as an international training hub for the aviation industry.
 
     The Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Dr Fang Liu, witnessed the signing.
 
     The co-operation between the HKSAR and France on the Programme is part of the ICAO's "No Country Left Behind" initiative, which intends to provide aviation training to countries looking for capacity building in aviation. For Hong Kong, sponsorship of the Programme is also part of the Belt and Road Initiative. 
 
     A discussion paper on this international co-operation presented at the Conference today is in the Annex.
 
     Organised under the auspices of the ICAO, the Conference is an annual event for directors general of civil aviation in the region to discuss matters of common interest. The HKSAR Government has been actively attending the event to promote partnership and co-operation among the global aviation community.

Ends/Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:21

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