Singapore Strengthens Cooperation to Support Growth in Air Travel
18 October 2023
Signs Air Services Agreement with Mongolia and
Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance with Hong Kong
Singapore will strengthen cooperation with Asia-Pacific partners to support air travel and build new capacity and capabilities for the future. Singapore reaffirmed its commitment to regional cooperation at the 58th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions which is being held on 15-19 October 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. On the sidelines of the conference, Singapore signed an upgraded Air Services Agreement with Mongolia and an updated Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance with Hong Kong which will help boost connectivity and lower the cost of operations respectively.
2 The regional conference, organised under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), brings together Directors-General of Civil Aviation and industry leaders to discuss strategic civil aviation matters as the region emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and air travel is expected to grow strongly in the coming years. Topics discussed include air travel, aviation safety, sustainability, air traffic management and unmanned aircraft systems. The conference was attended by over 300 delegates from 34 States/Administrations. The Singapore delegation is led by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS.
Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance with Hong Kong
3 On the sidelines of the conference, CAAS and the Civil Aviation Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, China (HK CAD) signed a Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance on 17 October 2023. The agreement, which updates an earlier 2008 agreement, was signed by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS and Mr Victor Liu, Director-General of HK CAD.
4 Under this technical arrangement, CAAS and HK CAD mutually recognise and reciprocally accept approvals pertaining to the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft and aircraft components issued by the respective civil aviation authorities. Currently, eight MRO organisations from Hong Kong and 17 MRO organisations from Singapore are participating in the agreement. The agreement reflects both parties’ desire to further strengthen cooperation in enhancing aviation safety oversight while minimising regulatory burden and lowering regulatory cost.
5 The revised technical arrangement includes provisions for facilitating further collaboration on areas such as flight safety and capacity building, exchange of maintenance-related safety data, and the implementation of safety management systems for MRO organisations.
6 CAAS has concluded similar technical arrangements with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Transport Canada, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the Civil Aviation Bureau of Japan, the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, and the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Singapore-Mongolia Air Services Agreement
7 Singapore and Mongolia also signed a Confidential Memorandum of Understanding (CMU) to expand the bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) signed in 1993. The CMU was signed by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS and Mrs Munkhtuya Chimeddorj, Director-General of Mongolia Civil Aviation Authority on 17 October 2023 in Dhaka. This is the second upgrade to the ASA since its signing.
8 The expanded ASA allows airlines from Singapore and Mongolia to operate unlimited third and fourth freedom passenger services between both countries, as well as up to 14 weekly passenger services exercising fifth freedom traffic rights between Singapore and Mongolia via any intermediate points, and to any beyond points, with no restrictions on aircraft type or capacity. Before the latest expansion, the agreement allowed for three weekly passenger services exercising third, fourth and fifth freedom traffic rights.
9 Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS said: “The Directors-General of the Asia-Pacific region are upbeat about the growth prospects of air travel and recognise that it is by working with one another and with industry that we can unlock the full potential that aviation can bring to our countries’ or region’s development.”
About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation. For more information, visit www.caas.gov.sg.
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