To support the forecasted increase in air passenger traffic, aviation regulatory bodies must be provided with the right resources, says Minister for Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka.

While speaking to regional civil aviation experts in Nadi this week, Mr Gavoka said the highly technical field must be equipped and empowered to carry out their work efficiently.

“To support the forecasted growth of global aviation each stage of the civil aviation system must be ready and capable,” he said.

“This also means the outlining of the financials that will be required for government to do all of this.

“We will need that to make sure that our spending in this area is in keeping with what is best for Fiji, the region and what is best for the civil aviation industry.”

He said the advancement of the industry also provided an important platform for the region to connect with each other and the global community.

“For us in the Pacific, we rely on sustainable connectivity through the air and maritime.

“Our geographical remoteness means that our connectivity is absolutely critical to be able to reach us and to be able to connect within our region.”

Mr Gavoka opened the four day Regional Session of Civil Aviation Master Planning workshop in Nadi organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation with the support of the Chinese Government.

According to the ICAO, global airlines are expected to return to operating profitability in the last quarter of 2023 after three consecutive years of losses. Air passenger demand in 2024 is expected to be stronger, at around 4 per cent higher than 2019.

In terms of Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), this translated to a growth of 0.7 per cent over the 2019 to 2024 period.

According to the organisation, this forecasted recovery and growth for the world of civil aviation comes with the caveat that risks affecting international air transport do not escalate from current levels.