Apia, Samoa/10 June 2024 – The Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) welcomed representatives from Member States and a special delegation from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to its Annual General Meeting, held in Port Vila Vanuatu from May 27-31, 2024. This year’s meeting was significant as it was the first time that the ICAO has attended since PASO establishment in 2007.
The meeting featured crucial discussions on the upcoming Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting (RAMM), scheduled for May 2025. This important event has not convened in person since 2019 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
At the culmination of the meeting, the Council member elections were held. The Chief Executive Officer and Secretary for Transport of MWTI, Afioga Fui Tupai Mau Simanu on behalf of Samoa was re-elected as the Chairperson, whilst Tonga and the Cook Islands were returned as the Deputy Chairs. Elections to determine PASO leaders are held annually.
Also representing Samoa at the PASO meeting was Principal Civil Aviation Officer MWTI, Ms Venice Roebeck and Samoa Airport Authority Manager for Legal Services, Namulauulu Elemesi Schmidt.
PASO belongs to the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) which was established by the Pacific Island Forum Leaders. It is the sole international organisation responsible for regional regulatory aviation safety oversight service for the 10 Pacific States who are signatories to the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST).
The current PICASST signatories are the Pacific nations of Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Associate Members of PASO are Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.
Its headquarters are located in Port Vila and its current General Manager is the former General Manager of the Samoa Airport Authority Afioga Silimana’i Ueta Solomona.