FIJI COMMITS TO THE DELHI DECLARATION - DPM AND MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND CIVIL AVIATION

13/09/2024

As the host country of the Conference, the India Minister for Civil Aviation, Honourable Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu was elected as the Chairperson of the Conference and Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Honourable Viliame Gavoka was elected as the Deputy Chairperson.  

The first Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation, held in 2018 in China concluded with the Beijing Declaration which paved the way for States to work together to achieve commitments and take necessary action to overcome the challenges of aviation jointly.
 
This is aligned to Government’s commitment to continue its efforts and cooperation to uphold aviation safety as a key priority, carrying out effective safety oversight and management activities, joining forces to share safety information, fostering a strong and positive safety culture, and striving to achieve the current goals and targets outlined in the Global Aviation Safety Plan.

In alignment with the regional vision, Fiji also committed to modernizing and innovating our Air Navigation Services to enhance airspace safety, efficiency, and capacity, meeting future demands for air travel and ensuring seamless operations across the Region.

Since 2018 some of the commitments under the Beijing Declaration have had a reasonable level of achievement, the majority of targets related to safety and air navigation fall short of the expectations, attributed mainly to the pandemic, which forced the global civil aviation sector into a deep crisis.

The Conference brought together approximately 250 representatives from 41 countries and is a step forward by Civil Aviation Ministers of the Asia Pacific States, to address the growing demand for air travel and focus on the future of airport development and infrastructure amid rapid airline growth.  The Conference was a commitment from the Asia Pacific Region to encourage collaboration on a common platform to harmonize regional aviation growth.    

This is reflected in the Delhi Declaration which supersedes the Beijing Declaration and is the setting at a political level for the Asia and Pacific States to declare the vision of the Region to manage aviation safety towards a resilient and dynamic Asia Pacific air transport system post pandemic.

In his Ministerial Statement, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted Fiji’s efforts in advancing aviation safety and oversight with our Effective Implementation score standing above the global average, which is a testament to our commitment to maintaining rigorous safety standards.

Fiji’s State Safety Programme has been a cornerstone of our aviation safety efforts and one of our most pressing issues is the establishment of an independent accident investigation authority and the difficulties we face particularly in terms of resources and expertise.  The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the need to seek solutions, including regional partnerships and targeted capacity building initiatives to overcome these obstacles.  The goal for Fiji is clear and that is to ensure that we respond effectively and independently to any aviation incident.

Aviation safety was also raised as a priority area for Fiji and the need to continue to uphold aviation security through enhanced oversight and regional collaboration, fostering a secure and resilient aviation environment.

The Conference resulted in renewed commitments covering various pressing aviation challenges, including aviation safety and security, air navigation services, facilitation, gender equality, environmental protection, the resourcing for Civil Aviation, and international Air Law Treaties.

The Conference concluded with the Ministers of Civil Aviation of the Asia Pacific Region reaching consensus on all the key aviation areas in the Declaration.  Fiji supported the Delhi Declaration and committed to upholding and implementing the principles of safety, security and innovation and stands ready to collaborate and meet the aviation challenges of today.