Iswaran tells ICAO: Focus on specific needs of each country to strengthen partnerships

The minister said focusing on the priorities of member states will get them to “step up.”

“Partnerships are strongest, and resources are most effectively mobilised - when they are focused on specific needs and purposes.” 

This was Transport Minister S Iswaran’s advice to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to better implement its programmes and activities for the global aviation industry.

When specific concerns of countries are addressed in programmes which organisations like ICAO create, Iswaran said more member states will “step up.”

“In the end, ICAO works and succeeds best when it can catalyse the action of Member States,” he said.

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For example in Singapore, Iswaran said there is a need for young aviation professionals. ICAO helped address this by co-developing the “Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP).”

Singapore is also partnering with ICAO to develop a programme that will “equip Directors-General with new skills and competencies to seize new opportunities as they rebuild their respective aviation sectors.

“In the end, ICAO works and succeeds best when it can catalyse the action of Member States,” Iswaran said.

Apart from identifying the precise needs of member states, Iswaran underscored that bringing in the private sector would also help ICAO in better-developing programmes for the industry.

“One important area where we can bring the private sector in is sustainability initiatives. For example, if there’s a conversation on sustainable aviation fuels and the kind of innovation or system level response we need, it allows us to bring in not just governments and airport authorities, but also airlines and companies from the energy sector, for example,” he said.

“ I think the more specific we are in our intent, and the more pertinent it is to the needs of the industry, the greater the chance that we can mobilise the necessary resources and strengthen partnerships,” he reiterated.