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Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr Mohamed Abdel Jalil;

President of the ACAO General Assembly, Dr Ali Hamieh;

Chairman of the Executive Council of ACAO, Capt. Haitham Misto;

President of the Council of ICAO, Mr Salvatore Sciacchitano;

Excellencies,

1.     Marhaba (hello) and good morning from Singapore.

2.     Thank you for inviting us to attend the 28th General Assembly of ACAO. I am delighted to be back in historic Rabat, Morocco since attending the 27th General Assembly in 2022. We deeply appreciate your warm hospitality.

3.     Singapore values our longstanding partnership with ACAO, which has allowed our dynamic regions to exchange insights to advance international civil aviation. The Middle East is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world, serving as vital links for passengers and cargo. In March 2024, Airbus’ Global Services Forecast assessed that the Middle East’s commercial aircraft services market will more than double in value from USD12 billion today to USD28 billion in 2042.

4.     The Arab States have also made key contributions to the work of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). For instance, ACAO Member States have hosted important ICAO events such as the Third Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels in Dubai in 2023 and the ICAO Facilitation 2024 Global Summit in Riyadh. 

5.     Singapore is keen to further our partnership with ACAO Member States to address common challenges and achieve shared goals in areas such as aviation safety, security, and sustainability. As we look forward to greater growth in air traffic in our respective regions, aviation professionals would need to be equipped with the necessary competencies to navigate current and future challenges. Therefore, we must continue to invest in the training of regulators and operators. 

6.     In this regard, Singapore re-affirms our commitment to capability development in the Arab region. In 2002, Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the then-Arab Civil Aviation Commission to provide its Member States with fellowships to attend courses at the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA). Two years ago, I had the honour of witnessing a MOU signed here in Rabat between Singapore and ACAO to provide training for aviation professionals in the Arab region. I am pleased to note that over 4,500 aviation professionals from ACAO Member States have attended courses conducted by the SAA to date. We hope to train more aviation professionals from the Arab region in the years to come.

7.     In 2025, Singapore will renew our MOU with ACAO. This will enhance our collaboration and ensure our aviation training initiatives for the region are up-to-date and fit-for-purpose. 

8.     Once again, Singapore is proud to be a partner of ACAO. We look forward to our continued collaborations to build a safe, secure, and sustainable aviation sector. 

9.     I wish you a fruitful General Assembly. Thank you.