Remarks by His Excellency Dr. SOK AN , Deputy Prime Minister, On The Occasion Of The Opening of the Fourth Regional Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting on for the Project for Capacity Development for Transition to the New CNS/ATM System in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam

Remarks by

His Excellency Dr. SOK An, Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers

 On the Occasion of the Opening of the Fourth

Regional Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting on

for the

Project for Capacity Development for Transition to the New CNS/ATM System in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam

Phnom Penh, 20-21 July 2015

­œœœ

Good Morning:

§  Excellency Yuji Kumamaru, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia,

§  Mr. Adachi Itsu, Chief Representative of JICA Office Cambodia,

§  International Delegates from Japan, Vietnam and Lao PDR,

§  Excellency Mao Havannall, Secretary of State, State Secretariat for Civil Aviation,

§  Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to warmly welcome you all, in particular international participants and delegates from Japan, Vietnam and Lao PDR to the Kingdom of Cambodia. I am delighted and honored to participate in today’s opening ceremony of the Fourth Regional Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting for the “Project for the Capacity Development for Transition to the New CNS/ATM System in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam”, which is supported by the Government and People of Japan. I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the State Secretariat for Civil Aviation and JICA for jointly organizing this important event.

The air transport industry has played a major role in world economic activities, and it remains one of the fastest growing sectors. Countries in every region of the world increasingly depend on the aviation industry to maintain or stimulate economic growth, significantly contributing to overall well-being and economic health. However, due to the continuing growth in civil aviation, the capacity of existing air navigation systems can hardly accommodate current air traffic, potentially impacting negatively on the aviation industry. One of the keys to maintaining the vitality of civil aviation is to ensure that a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable air navigation system is available at national, regional, and global levels. This requires the implementation of an air traffic management system that allows maximum use of the enhanced capabilities of advanced technology.

As we all are aware, over a long term historical perspective the world’s air transport sector has experienced greater growth than other industries. Since 1960, the output of the air transport industry has risen remarkably due to increasing demand for passenger and freight services, rapid technological development and associated investment. In 2014, there is 3.1 billion air passengers which translated to an additional 150 million to 170 million passengers over the 2013 with traffic (RPK) grew approximately 6 percent in 2014—the fourth consecutive year of growth at or above 5 percent.  51 million tonnes of cargo in 2013 The number of aircraft departures reached 33 million at the same year of 2013 establishing a new record and surpassing the 2012 departure figure by more than one million flights.

The future growth of air transport will continue to depend primarily on world economic growth and airline operation costs, but also on the extent to which the industry handles major challenges such as consumer confidence, airport and airspace congestion, environmental protection and increasing capital investment.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to take this occasion to elaborate briefly upon the recent developments in Cambodia. After almost three decades of civil war, Cambodia has enjoyed political stability and full peace from 1998 onwards, thanks to the win-win policy of Samdach Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Royal Government has also made significant progress in implementing many reforms, in the public administration, public finance, legal and judicial systems. Improved legal and physical infrastructures are winning the confidence of private investors, and attracting national and international investors to Cambodia. In the field of economics, despites the fact that the country has had to face with uncertainties and a number of major risks, internally and externally, such as natural calamity, political instability as well as turmoil and uncertainty in the labor market in the post-election periods, and furthermore continued uncertainty in the world economy, Cambodia could still score economic growths of 7.3% in 2013 and about 7% in 2014. For the year 2015, the prediction has it that the Cambodian economy would maintain a score of 7% growth. The GDP per capita has been expected to continue to rise from 1,042 USD in 2013 to 1,123 USD in 2014, and possibly 1,220 USD in 2015. The yearly inflation has been managed to stay below 5%, i.e. around 3.5% in 2014 and 2015. The exchange rate has been guaranteed to stabilize in general around 4,050 Riel to a USD. The poverty rate has been brought to below 18% in the year 2013. Furthermore, fruits of the economic growth have been more equitably distributed as reflected through the fall of Gini coefficient from 0.41 in 2017 to 0.29 in 2012 with expectation that the figure would continue to fall in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

This forecast poses challenges and requires proper training program and capacity building for the civil aviation sector, which is high on the agenda of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As mentioned in the opening remarks by Excellency Mao Havannall, the implementation of the New CNS/ATM system is essential to handle the expected growing air traffic volumes, and to maintain safety and efficiency of both the airspace system and the air traffic by giving inputs of the aviation sector in Cambodia. Especially the project provides economic and environmental impacts which consists of $US 1.1 million of fuel cost savings for airlines and 5,900 tons of reduction in CO2 emission has been brought about every year and it brings a new technology of the new CNS/ATM to improve aviation safety and capabilities for the SSCA officers. This achievement presents clear evidence that Cambodia is in the progress to develop of all fields for the country and people prosperity.

The implementation of new CNS/ATM systems is also in line with our “Aviation Transport Policy and Strategies” and conforming to the needs of Cambodian aviation sector to comply with the ICAO roadmap and contributes to improvement of air transport safety.  Furthermore “National Strategic Development Plan 2014-2018” states “Improve and modernize identified airports, including operationalizing the new system of Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM)” in its Chapter IV Key Policy Priorities and Actions 2014-2018, Section 4 Development of Physical Infrastructure.  The Project Purpose, i.e. to enhance the transition to the new CNS/ATM systems in Cambodia, is consistent with this prioritized action. 

Taking note of the meaningful remarks from speakers from our neighbouring countries, Lao PDR and Vietnam, who presented a number of constructive and convincing ideas, I am optimistic that the two-day meeting will produce concrete results for our CLV countries. 

In conclusion, I sincerely thank Excellency Mr. Yuji Kumamaru, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, as well as all national and international participants for sharing their experience and insights with us. I also thank the State Secretariat for Civil Aviation in close cooperation with the JICA Study Team for organizing this important gathering.

Finally, I would like to wish Your Excellencies, experts and national and international participants: good health and great success in your future endeavours. I wish the meeting a great success and also wish you a pleasant stay in Cambodia.

I now declare the meeting opened.

Thank for your attention.