Minister Nahula: Regulation to regulate international airlines will be complete soon

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahuhla has stated that the regulation being drawn up by the Ministry to regulate international airlines will be gazetted soon.

Speaking on the occasion of World Civil Aviation Day, Minister Nahula said that the purpose of the regulation is to regulate international airlines uniformly, in a transparent manner.

“In the last stages of formulating and publicizing a regulation titled ‘Foreign Operators’ – which was drawn up with the recommendations of industry partners after discussions,” she had said.

Minister Nahula said that the main goal of this year is to reinstate the sector back to the status it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic – as well as to further develop and strengthen the Maldivian aviation sector.

On this note, she said that projects were carried out to increase the activities of local airlines as well as to develop airports.

“Three local airlines have been given permit to operate international flights. The development of Velana International Airport went on this year as well. In this regard, an apron has been installed new parts and brought into operations, and an old operation was upgraded and brought into operations,” she detailed.

Minister Nahula also revealed that preparations were underway to begin issuing permits for helicopter operations – adding that presently the second phase of the permit program is underway in collaboration with UK’s Civil Aviation Authority.

She also highlighted that the activities conducted under International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) framework, ‘CoSpec-South Asia’, as important. On this note, she said that Maldives will be establishing a CoSpec office this year, to conduct the activities under CoSpec as agreed by the member countries.

Speaking further, Minister Nahula pointed the assistance rendered by international organizations to further develop and strengthen the civil aviation sector. She also thanked that assistance rendered by the regional organizations that Maldives is a party to.