Aviation sector must focus on capacity, climate and collaboration: S. Iswaran

The global aviation industry needs to focus on three Cs - capacity building, climate action and collaboration - to deal with existing and future challenges.

Speaking at the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Global Support Symposium in Istanbul on June 28, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said this would ensure safe, smooth and sustainable recovery.

"We are coming out of a pandemic. The aviation industry was decimated, but is now showing promising signs of recovery. Recovery is uneven across the world. In terms of priorities, what we need is a recovery that is safe, smooth and sustainable", he noted.

On collaboration, Minister Iswaran said: "The road to recovery is not just about one country or one airport or one airline. This is really about the international aviation community coming together."

This is where ICAO can play an important role, he added; by bringing the different players together and sharing best practices from diverse contexts.

It is also important to look at not just what the industry is dealing with today, but what needs to be done to be ready for tomorrow's challenges.

He said: "In other words, you do not want to be in a situation where we are still fighting the last pandemic, when a new variant comes about that poses a different type of challenge."

The general consensus is that this is not the last pandemic that the world will have to face.

So there is a need for some scenario planning, to think about the different kinds of challenges that may surface in future, and the protocols that may be need to respond to them, he said.

ICAO can play an important role in working with member states and other international organisations, like the WHO, to think through the different challenges that might come up, and how the aviation industry could respond to them, Minister Iswaran added.

Partnerships are also important, he stressed.

And based on Singapore's experience, these are strongest and resources are most effectively mobilised - when they are focused on specific needs and purposes.

Singapore is happy to work with ICAO on various initiatives, an example being the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP).

Mr Iswaran said: "We can relate to it because we have benefited from such assistance in the past. So, we want to share our expertise and partner ICAO in its global implementation support efforts today. We recognise that there is a need for young aviation professionals."

Singapore is also partnering ICAO to develop the ICAO-Singapore DGCAs Programme on Aviation Resilience - to equip civil aviation leaders with new skills and competencies to seize new opportunities as they rebuild their respective aviation sectors.

The symposium in Turkey brought together ICAO Member States to exchange information and views on the latest trends, innovations, training, digitalisation and best practices to support a safe, smooth and sustainable future for global aviation.