Fiji Airports Ltd and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) have strengthened their partnership with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that aims to advance aviation training and professional development in the country and the Pacific.
Fiji Airports board chairperson Isei Tudreu and IIAC chief administration officer and vice president Ga Kyun Shin in Nadi on Tuesday this week.
Fiji Airports chief executive officer Mesake Nawari said the partnership represented an important step towards strengthening aviation capability, developing people and building greater resilience across Fiji and the Pacific.
He said the partnership reflected a strong alignment between their aspirations for aviation training in the Pacific and the IIAC’s expertise and experience.
“Aviation is a lifeline because aviation plays such a critical role in our region, we must continue investing in the people who make safe, secure and reliable air connectivity possible,” Mr Nawari said in a statement. “Our ambition is to develop Fiji Airports Aviation Academy into a regional aviation training centre of excellence for the Blue Pacific.
“We want to create a centre where aviation professionals from Fiji and our neighbouring Pacific island countries can access high-quality, internationally recognised training closer to home.”
He said this partnership came at an important time as the Pacific aviation sector continued to evolve and demand increased for skilled professionals across air traffic management, aerodrome operations, aviation security, safety, rescue and firefighting, airport management and other specialised aviation disciplines.
Mr Shin said the MoU would create opportunities to expand practical cooperation between the two organisations.
“Through this MoU, we look forward to expanding our practical cooperation, including customised training programs and joint training initiatives for Fiji and the wider Pacific region,” he said.
