Minister of Transport, Dr. Bonginkosi Blade Nzimande, together with his counterparts from BRICS countries, signed a memorandum of understanding on Regional Aviation Partnership to expand and deepen the cooperation among competent authorities in the field of regional aviation.
The agreement was signed today, 26 July 2018, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit currently taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The agreement was signed between the South African Department of Transport, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the Republic of India, and the Civil Aviation Administration of the People’s Republic of China.
“We have signed this agreement on the basis of understanding and mutual benefits in order to bolster our regional aviation transport sector, to share good practice and open socio-economic and development opportunities amongst the member states,” said Minister Nzimande.
Minister Nzimande said that the field of cooperation includes amongst others, sharing public policies and best practices, particularly in the field of regional airports management, airport infrastructure management, air navigation services, innovation and training, particularly pilots training.
“This agreement will ensure that our country continue to have adequate and highly skilled aviation professionals who are available to operate, manage and maintain our air transport system, taking it to greater heights,” emphasized Minister Nzimande.
To ensure the implementation of the agreement, a Coordinating Committee, consisting of the representatives nominated by the participating countries will be established.
The participating countries will also support interaction between the public, including state-owned companies and the private sector in order to stimulate other forms of cooperation.
“In our case, the Department of Transport will be the custodian of this agreement, implemented through our aviation entities including the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACCA), the Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS),” said Minister Nzimande.