Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and Director of International Cooperation of DGAC France signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in September 14, today addressing for technical cooperation in aviation field.
A ceremony was conducted under the presence of highly ranked officials from CAAN, delegates’ from Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Nepal, French Ambassador and media personnel at CAAN Headquarter, Babarmahal.
As per this MoU signed on the behalf of the two countries, it will be valid for four years and both the counter parties will cooperate each other through manifold actions such as exchanging information concerning the various technique’s used to reach the objectives; sending French experts or instructors to Nepal for training missions; and receiving expert’s, or instructors of Nepal, in France for training missions.
CAA of Nepal will be benefitted after the MoU agreement of technical cooperation program. DGAC will extend its support to develop qualified technical manpower like safety oversight inspectors, airworthiness engineers, procedure designers, aeronautical informational managers, and so on. The specific activities to be performed by CAAN and the DGCA of France under this MoU will be carried out by mutual consent without any political interference.
Director General for CAA of Nepal, Mr. Sanjiv Gautam stated that the agreement is for promoting cooperation for the exchange of expertise, improving the aviation safety standard and technical trainings between CAA of Nepal and the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC).
Despite the adverse political situation in Nepal, France Government shows the positive response for signing the MoU in-between CAAN and DGAC. Mr. Gautam said that the agreement was made today especially to enhance the technical support provided by France to Nepal in the field of flight operations and airworthiness and this agreement is expected that none of the political interference will penetrate in this technical cooperation program.
Both the government has a very long relation on the technical cooperation. On 4th November, 1997, CAA of Nepal and DGAC had signed an agreement on Technical Cooperation in the aviation field. As under the French protocol’s, ATS Tower Console, communication and navigation equipment, airport lighting systems were installed in many domestic airports of Nepal. ATS Tower console and communication facilities are still in operation in many STOL airports located in remote areas of Nepal which shows that the MoU will facilitate exchange program and sharing of technical knowledge for Nepal.
Previously, Nepal had signed an agreement on technical cooperation with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in April 2015. After the agreement with ICAO one flight operations expert, one airworthiness experts, and one personnel licensing expert were deputed to CAAN for a period of time of 12 months, 9 months and 6 months simultaneously. The ICAO Aviation experts were already completed their tenure for Nepal in June this year accordance the agreement.
The ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) carried out in 4 TO 11 July this year has uplifted the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal from Significant Safety concerns (SSC) discern on the ICVM carried out in July, 2013 four years back. CAA of Nepal now has been focusing its efforts in eliminating the tag from air safety list of European Union.
