Pacific Aviation Sector Strives for Global Parity Amid Workforce and Funding Constraints
SUVA, 20/03/2025 – The Pacific aviation sector continues to battle against significant structural and capacity challenges, with the shortage of a qualified technical workforce and limited financial resources proving to be critical constraints. These limitations are hindering efforts by Pacific Island states to build a safe, secure, and sustainable regional aviation system.
Speaking at the official opening of the Third Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting (RAMM3) in Suva, Fiji, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Tao Ma, highlighted both the challenges and the growing sense of regional momentum toward reform and resilience.
“The establishment and maintenance of robust human resource development strategies, together with adequately funded, quality-assured training, are essential for developing and maintaining a qualified and competent workforce to manage the State’s current evolving systems,” Mr. Ma stated.
He urged Pacific nations to embrace a collaborative regional approach to overcome these hurdles, encouraging the development of Regional Training Centres of Excellence that would build self-sufficiency and provide pathways for a new generation of aviation professionals.
“You can count on ICAO’s fullest cooperation in your endeavours,” he affirmed.
A Region Charting Its Own Course
Despite the many obstacles—including infrastructure gaps, high operational costs, limited air connectivity, and the sheer remoteness of many island states—Mr. Ma commended the Pacific’s leadership in driving their own agenda for aviation progress.
“It is encouraging to note that considerable effort in the civil aviation field has been initiated from within the region through important high-level forums such as this event, and through the launching of visionary strategies such as the Pacific Regional Aviation Strategy (PRAS),” he said.
ICAO has welcomed the PRAS for its well-defined outcomes, particularly its focus on the two key pillars of Aviation Safety and Security and Harmonised Regulatory Systems, under the broader goal of Regional Connectivity. These priorities are expected to guide the Pacific toward aligning its aviation performance with global standards.
To date, the region has made notable strides. Pacific states have endorsed a suite of key frameworks and declarations, including:
- The Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST)
- The Framework for Aviation in the Pacific
- The Port Moresby Declaration
- The Pacific Regional Engagement Framework
- And most recently at RAMM3, the Pacific Regional Aviation Action Plan
Regional Leadership and Strategic Alignment
As the host of RAMM3, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Viliame Gavoka, reiterated the importance of aviation as a vital enabler of Pacific development.
“Aviation is the backbone of connectivity in our region—linking our people, businesses, and communities,” he said. “It is the bridge that connects our islands to the global economy, facilitates trade and tourism, and ensures vital services reach even our most remote communities.”
Hon. Gavoka underscored RAMM3 as a platform for “collaboration, innovation, and collective decision-making” that will influence the course of aviation in the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa noted the alignment of PRAS with the broader 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which was endorsed by Pacific leaders in 2022.
“I am heartened by the fact that the Pacific Regional Aviation Strategy aligns with and informs your sectoral contributions to our regionalism vision,” he said. “But as we all recognise, strategies and policies are just ideas unless we institutionalise their implementation.”
He also called for enhanced collaboration to improve “affordability and access”—a challenge especially pressing for smaller island states.
PASO: A Pillar of Aviation Oversight in the Pacific
The Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) plays a crucial regulatory role in the region. Headquartered in Port Vila, Vanuatu, PASO provides civil aviation safety and security oversight to 10 member states. It was formed through the ratification of the Pacific Islands Civil Aviation Safety and Security Treaty (PICASST) in 2005, following a 1998 ministerial agreement that highlighted the region’s need to strengthen oversight in line with ICAO standards.
PASO is also a member of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP), reflecting its central role in regional governance and capacity building. According to a 2023 PASO report, the organization carried out over 80 technical audits and training sessions across the Pacific, despite a regional shortfall of aviation inspectors, safety analysts, and qualified maintenance engineers.
Looking Ahead
The third RAMM marks the first in-person high-level aviation meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic and comes at a critical juncture for the Pacific. While funding, infrastructure, and skilled workforce shortages persist, the convergence of regional willpower, international support, and strategic planning points to a pathway for sustainable aviation development.
ICAO’s roadmap for implementation in the Pacific will be shaped by the ambitions laid out in PRAS and the discussions taking place at RAMM3. With visionary leadership and shared commitment, the region may yet close the gap with global aviation standards—ensuring that the skies over the Pacific remain safe, connected, and resilient.
