The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has signed a training cooperation agreement with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA). Under the agreement, CAA International (CAAi) the technical advisory and training arm of the UK CAA will provide places on training courses free-of-charge to aviation personnel from designated ICAO Member States, to help enhance the regulatory capability in developing countries.
CAAi will host 29 fellowship places on its courses next year, covering a wide range of regulatory oversight disciplines including Airworthiness, Flight Operations, Dangerous Goods, Cabin Safety, EASA Part M Continuing Airworthiness and EASA Part 145. ICAO will nominate attendance using intelligence from ICAO’s data sources, including the Universal Safety and Security Audit Programmes (USOAP and USAP).
The agreement was signed during the GANIS/SANIS symposium at ICAO’s headquarters in Montréal by the ICAO Secretary General, Dr Fang Lui and the UK CAA’s International Director, Mr Ben Alcott.
After the signing, Maria Rueda, CAAi Managing Director said, “Increasingly, the regions and developing countries with the greatest demand for this type of training have the least funding available. As a mature aviation regulator and in accordance with ICAO’s No Country Left Behind programme, the UK has a responsibility to support ICAO in ensuring that all Member States have access to the benefits of safe and reliable air transport services. Through this programme, ICAO can now target UK CAA training where it is needed most, to equip fellow aviation Regulators with the necessary skills and competencies needed to provide effective safety oversight of their industry in accordance with ICAO standards.”
In September 2017, CAAi became a registered UK Social Enterprise, committing to reinvest its profits back into global aviation development programmes which also supports the ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative.
Matthew Margesson, Head of International Development for CAAi said, “We are delighted that ICAO has welcomed the UK’s participation. We look forward to delivering this valuable training and giving developing countries the opportunity for progression, which previously may not have been feasible. This is our second major reinvestment initiative since becoming a social enterprise, and we remain fully committed to supporting ICAO and its Member States in ensuring No Country is Left Behind.”
Noting the importance of encouraging the development of similar partnerships with other member States, ICAO thanked the UK CAA for its “exemplary demonstration of generosity” as formalised in the partnership agreement.
For more information, please contact: Stuart Coates, Senior Manager – International Marketing & Communications; stuart.coates@caa.co.uk
Photo caption: ICAO Secretary General Dr Fang Lui and UK CAA International Director, Mr Ben Alcott signing the technical agreement at the ICAO HQ in Montréal.
