Singapore and ICAO renew partnership to augment training for developing countries

Singapore and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have reaffirmed their commitment to the development of human capital for the global aviation sector.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, and Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the Council of the ICAO, signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand and extend the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP) for another three years from 2019 to 2022.

Under this MOU, Singapore will contribute US$2.1 million (or about S$2.9 million) over the next three years for 330 fellowships and 10 scholarships as part of Singapore’s commitment towards human capital development in international aviation. The number of fellowships has increased from the 300 under the last MOU, and serves to help meet the demand from developing countries for more training places. The DCTP will continue to be jointly sponsored by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

Administered by ICAO, the DCTP provides fellowships and scholarships for participants from developing ICAO Member States to attend specialised aviation programmes at the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA), the training arm of the CAAS. The training programmes are designed to help developing States build up their human resources critical to the development of civil aviation.

The recipients of the fellowships can choose from a suite of training programmes conducted at SAA, ranging from aviation management to aviation safety and security management. Scholarship recipients will attain an SAA Diploma in Civil Aviation Management or Aviation Safety Management. The Diploma programmes provide participants with an appreciation of how the various integral elements in the aviation industry interface with one another, and equip graduands with the skills to manage the diverse challenges of a dynamic civil aviation environment.

The MOU was signed at the gala dinner of the World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forum 2019 – a gathering of some 150 global aviation leaders in Singapore for a dialogue on the challenges and opportunities in aviation today.