NADI (Pacnews) —Vanuatu is the fifth Forum Island Country to ratify the Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement.
Addressing the Transport Sector Workshop on the Implementation of the Forum Principles on Regional Transport Services in Nadi, Fiji, Vanuatu’s Civil Aviation Authority Director, Joseph Kasten reiterated his nation’s support for the agreement, and other regional transport initiatives.
“Vanuatu has been supportive of PIASA, FPRTS, the establishment of the Pacific Aviation Safety Office, and other such regional transport initiatives from day one,” said Kasten.
“As state regulators, it is our responsibility to create an enabling environment for Vanuatu’s transport industry to develop, and by tapping into certain regional development approaches, we hope to provide a strong platform to achieve this.”
Official PIASA instruments of ratification from Vanuatu were received in March 2007 by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, which acts as the depository for such legal documents.
Forum Secretariat’s transport sector adviser Seiuli Alvin Tuala said PIASA is a regional agreement that will provide a multilateral basis for liberalizing air services between FICs.
“Its main objective is to establish a framework for the gradual integration of aviation services of the Forum members in a collaborative way that is fully supportive of sustainable development in the region,” he said