The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Simon Li, attended the 55th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Fiji.

     The theme for this year's five-day Conference, which concluded successfully today (October 26), was "Collaboration and Harmonisation for Safe, Secure and Sustainable Aviation in the Asia Pacific Region". The Conference was attended by over 200 delegates from about 50 states, administrations and industry organisations. Some 130 papers were submitted by aviation authorities and industry organisations to the conference covering a wide range of subjects, including aviation safety, air navigation, aviation security, unmanned aircraft systems and technical co-operation.

     In the light of the double digit growth in air traffic overflying the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR) in recent years, and to put the idea of "Collaboration and Harmonisation for Safe, Secure and Sustainable Aviation in the Asia Pacific Region" into action, Mr Li held meetings with the Director Generals of Singapore and Thailand, being two of the major neighbouring FIRs with busy traffic flow to and from Hong Kong, China and through the Hong Kong FIR, to enhance air traffic flow in the Asia-Pacific region and to improve on-time performance of aircraft landing and taking off at Hong Kong International Airport. Mr Li will continue to liaise with aviation partners to share best practices and to closely follow ICAO guidelines and standards to promote aviation safety.

     Taking note that sustainability in aviation also includes a steady supply of trained personnel in the various sectors of aviation, Mr Li invited Mrs Vivian Cheung, the President of the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), established by the Airport Authority Hong Kong, to join the Hong Kong, China delegation to the Conference. They met with the ICAO Secretary General, Dr Fang Liu; the ICAO Regional Director for the Asia Pacific, Mr Arun Mishra; and a number of Director Generals and key representatives from aviation partners in the Asia-Pacific region who sent representatives to attend the Advanced Master in Air Transport Management Programme jointly organised by the HKIAA and National School of Civil Aviation of France (Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile) in Hong Kong. The programme has been well received by the industry. The HKIAA also took the opportunity to introduce to the Conference its curriculum for the coming years. The CAD will continue to support and strengthen its collaboration with the HKIAA to nurture local and regional talents in the aviation sector to further strengthen Hong Kong's leading status as a major aviation hub in the region.

Ends/Friday, October 26, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:06

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