𝘍𝘪𝘫𝘪 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤

𝐍𝐚𝐝𝐢, 𝟐𝟐 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Viliame Gavoka, today met the President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Mr Toshiyuki Onuma, at the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF) Headquarters in Namaka, Nadi.

Before the meeting, the staff of CAAF accorded Mr Onuma a traditional welcome ceremony, attended by the CAAF Board, management and staff.

Mr Onuma, of Japan, is the seventh President of the ICAO Council. He began his three-year term on 1 January 2026, after serving as Japan’s Representative on the ICAO Council and in senior roles with the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau.

In their meeting, DPM Gavoka welcomed Mr Onuma to Fiji and outlined Fiji’s aviation reform programme. This includes the Civil Aviation Master Plan 2026-2031, now in implementation, and a new Civil Aviation Bill that will modernise Fiji’s aviation law and further align it with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices. He also noted that Parliament has approved ratification of the Protocol amendments to Articles 50(a) and 56 of the Chicago Convention, and that Fiji is preparing the instruments of ratification for deposit with ICAO.

The Minister said aviation connectivity underpins Fiji’s tourism economy. Fiji welcomed a record 986,367 visitors in 2025, and tourism earnings reached FJ$2.81 billion.

“Aviation is central to Fiji’s economy and to our development as a nation. We are modernising our aviation laws, implementing our first Civil Aviation Master Plan and investing in our airports so that our systems can support future growth,” DPM Gavoka said.

“Pacific States already understand the challenges they face. What we need now is practical support to deliver solutions, and Fiji values ICAO’s partnership in helping our region move from plans to results,” he said.

The Minister reaffirmed Fiji’s support for the ICAO Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Liaison Office in Nadi, which Fiji hosts on behalf of the region. He also confirmed Fiji’s support for the Implementation Support Roadmap, the Pacific Regional Aviation Strategy and the Pacific Aviation Safety Office, and sought continued ICAO support for Sustainable Aviation Fuel development and capacity building across the Pacific.

– ENDS –