Macao hosts 47th DGCA to discuss issues of air navigation, aviation safety, aviation and environment

To cope with the direction of the SAR government in building up Macao as an Asian convention and exhibition centre, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao SAR (AACM ) nominated Macao to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to host the 47th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions (47th DGCA) and was successfully awarded. Held from 25 to 29 October 2010 in Grand Hyatt Macau, the main objective of the Conference is to bring together the directors-general of civil aviation to review the activities of different areas in the year, discuss the prevalent issues in the aviation field trying to build consensus among members and facilitate the formulation of coherent policy to deal with the existing and emerging problems across the Region. The Conference attracts more than 260 directors-general, government officials and high-ranking representatives from 42 states/administrations/organizations to attend. AACM will present 7 papers in this Conference. 

The theme topic of this year is “Through the Turbulence, Working Together for the Recovery and Enhanced Development of Aviation”. The five-day Conference will review the action items arising from the 46th Conference and discussed the papers presented by the member states and administrations, and international organizations on six main agenda items: 1. Air Navigation Planning and Implementation, 2. Communication/Navigation/Surveillance and Air Traffic Management Implementation Activities, 3. Aviation Safety, 4. Aviation Security 5. Aviation and Environment, 6. Air Transport, and 7. Technical and Regional Cooperation. 

The opening ceremony, held at 09:30 on 25 October 2010, was officiated by the Chief Executive, Dr. Chui Sai On. Other officiating guests were the President of the Council, Mr. Roberto Kobeh González, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macao SAR, Ms. Gao Yan, Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao SAR, Mr. Lu ShuMin, Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr. Lau Si Io, Regional Director of ICAO Asia and Pacific Regions, Mr. Mokhtar Awan, President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong, and representatives from government entities relating to aviation and the local industry operators.  

The aviation industry was globally affected by the economic crisis in 2008. The air travel market began to recover and started to turn upward from middle 2009. Despite this, after the strong post recession rebound in the first quarter of 2010, the market has entered a phase of slower growth. Due to the strong demand for air travel, the Asia and Pacific Regions still maintain a strong growth rate when compared to other regions. It is forecasted that the Asia and Pacific Regions will generate the highest share of global air traffic increase within the next decade and will soon account for close to half the world’s air freight. According to the ICAO forecast for 2005 to 2050, average annual passenger growth rate for the Asia and Pacific Regions is 5.8% while the global average passenger growth rate is 4.6%. To cope with the increasing global need for air travel and face the challenges ahead, AACM has worked out a paper on the theme topic and will present it in the Conference for discussing the importance of cooperation and partnership and urging the states/administrations/organizations to work together for the enhanced development of the aviation industry. 

In addition, AACM will also present 6 other papers with themes on air passenger traffic rights, implementation of voluntary incident reporting system, experience of Macao in participating in Universal Security Audit Programme, implementation of enhanced airfield markings in Macau International Airport, technical cooperation arrangement between the aeronautical authorities of mainland China and Macao, modernization of communication/navigation/surveillance, air traffic management and aerodrome facilities in Macao.  

More than 260 attendees participate in the 47th DGCA. They come from 34 states/administrations and 8 international organizations, which are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Hong Kong China, Macao China, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Air Transport Association, European Aviation Safety Authority, World Meteorology Organization, Civil Air Navigation Services Organization, Inernational Business Aviation Council, International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association and Pacific Aviation Safety Organization. 

The DGCA, Asia and Pacific Regions is a high level governmental conference of aviation in the Region which is convened every year and is organized by the member state or administration who proposes their candidacy to ICAO.