SPC and PASO enter into partnership

1 March 2011

Secretariat Of The Pacific Community

SPC and PASO enter into regional aviation transport partnership

Yesterday, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Pacific Aviation Safety Organisation (PASO) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance collaborative efforts between the two bodies charged with advancing regional aviation safety and security and developing regional air services.

The MOU serves to strengthen the existing partnership and to foster further cooperation to address the varied issues relating to air services in the Pacific.

The MOU is also based on a shared commitment to seek innovative solutions and to maximise opportunities to derive benefits for PASO and SPC members. In doing so, the MOU is founded on 11 principles of collaboration, which provide the operational framework.

This operational framework underpins the delivery mechanism to address seven themes - compliance, tariff setting, search and rescue, mass rescue, regional standards, training, and policy and legislative advice - that SPC and PASO have identified as core partnership thematic areas. In addition, both SPC and PASO duly recognise that there are also cross-cutting areas for programme collaboration, such as provision of policy analysis and advice, joint resource mobilisation efforts, joint initiatives, long-term capacity development and programme support, technical partnerships, development of risk reduction strategies, and development of strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks to support evidence-based decision-making.

SPC Director-General Dr Jimmie Rodgers said, 'SPC welcomes this formalised partnership with PASO because SPC believes in the "many partners, one team" approach whereby we pool resources and work together for more efficient means to implement activities for and within the region.' He added, 'SPC, now as the lead coordinating agency in regional transport, knows how important safe and secure air services are to economic development and on this understanding is very keen to move this partnership forward.'

PASO General Manager Seiuli Alvin Tuala also welcomed the signing and added, 'for PASO, this MOU will enable us to work closer with SPC to undertake activities that will support our members, particularly in the area of aviation safety and security, but at the same time recognising that we can support SPC in progressing other air services issues under the regional transport agenda.'

The MOU took effect yesterday and will have a duration of four years.

ENDS

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