Organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and hosted by the Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia, the 45th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation Asia and Pacific Regions (45th DGCA) was held from 24 to 28 November 2008 in which the Civil Aviation Authority of Macao China (AACM) showed its participation. The theme of the Conference was “Cooperating towards enhanced aviation safety, security, efficiency and environment” of which participants discussed how cooperation between States and with international organizations is important in order to develop civil aviation in a safe and orderly manner. The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong (HKCAD) and AACM jointly presented a paper entitled “Safety, Capacity, and Efficiency Improvements of Air Traffic Operations in the Pearl River Delta of China”. In his opening address, the President of the Council of ICAO, Mr. Roberto Kobeh González, pointed out that the current global financial crisis and the volatility of fuel prices have brought about structural changes in the air transport industry. Airlines have taken up steps to counter the increase in oil prices, such as abandoning non-profit routes, adjusting capacity to weaker demand, reducing the workforce and contemplating mergers. ICAO’s latest medium forecasts point to an industry recovery by 2010. For the airlines, the prospects are for an operating loss for 2008. Passenger traffic should demonstrate lower than earlier anticipated growth in 2008 and 2009. Despite this, Mr. González stated that the global industry has shown enormous resilience and the challenge will continue to be cope effectively with growth in order to ensure the integrity of all air transport operations. The five-day Conference reviewed the action items arising from the 44th Conference and discussed six theme topics, which were 1. Air Navigation Planning and Implementation, 2. Communication/Navigation/Surveillance and Air Traffic Management Implementation Activities, 3. Aviation Safety, 4. Aviation Security 5. Air Transport and 6 Technical and Regional Cooperation. More than 100 papers were presented by participating States or international organizations. On the theme topic of “Air Navigation Planning and Implementation”, CAAC, HKCAD and AACM jointly presented a paper entitled “Safety, Capacity, and Efficiency Improvements of Air Traffic Operations in the Pearl River Delta of China” which provided the latest information on the airspace re-organization, the routes re-structure, with great efforts made by mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao to improve the air traffic operations in the Pearl River Delta Area of China. The paper stated that in order to relieve the tense situations of airspace use and resolve air traffic control operations issues in the Region, and to continuously improve air traffic service level of this area, the three parties have developed an effective coordination mechanism with a working group established of which members meet regularly striving to promote the planning and implementation of air traffic management system in harmonized way in this area. Under the principle of “unified planning, unified standards, and unified procedures”, the three parties have devised a short-term, a medium-term and a long-term plan targeting respectively at 2010, 2015 and 2020 with the objective of organizing and optimizing the traffic flow of the Pearl River Delta Region. On the theme topics of “Aviation Safety” and “Aviation Security”, the Conference reviewed the progress reports on the implementation of ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) and ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP), which are two programmes conducted by ICAO on its member states for the objective of ensuring the safety of international aviation. ICAO adopted the comprehensive systems approach in the implementation of USOAP since January 2005. As of October 2008, 103 Contracting States have been audited. In what concerns the USAP, a second cycle of the Programme has commenced since January 2008. In accordance with the time schedules of the two programmes, ICAO will conduct on-site audits on AACM to assess whether the Authority has fully performed its responsibilities in safety oversight. To prepare for the audits, AACM has set up a working team and is taking a proactive manner in following up their compliance with the Chicago Convention and its Annexes. To achieve information sharing and greater transparency of the safety oversight work of the aeronautical authorities, the results of the two audits will be published by ICAO. The theme topic of “air transport” was moderated by the President of AACM, Mr. Chan Weng Hong. In the Conference, it was pointed out that aircraft contribute about 2% of the total global carbon dioxide emission. In addition, aircraft also contribute to climate change through the emission of nitrogen oxides, which are particularly effective in forming the greenhouse gas ozone. To prevent the emission issue from getting serious, the Contracting States have agreed to develop improvement measures in devising routes and flight procedures and air traffic operations procedures so as to reduce fuel consumption and emission by aircraft. Among the discussions on the theme topic of “Technical and Regional Cooperation” were the progress reports of “Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme”, “Cooperative Aviation Security Programme in the Asia and Pacific Regions” and “Cooperative Arrangement for the Prevention of Spread of Communicable Disease through Air Travel”. Aiming at sharing information and exchanging experiences among participating States, Macao has taken part in the above three ICAO programmes so that the respective supervision work conducted in Macao can be improved. The 45th Conference has attracted an attendance of about 230 delegates from 31 Contracting States and international organizations. The DGCA Conference is an annual event which involves the participation of high ranking government officials or representatives from various aviation international organizations. The Conference is hosted by a different Contracting State every year. To cope with the aim of the SAR government in branding Macao as an Asian convention and exhibition centre, AACM has successfully bid for hosting the 47th DGCA Conference in 2010 in Macao.
