USTDA FURTHERS ITS COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIETNAM’S AVIATION SECTOR
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USTDA Country Manager Diana Rossiter, U.S. Ambasador to Vietnam Michael W. Michalak, and USTDA Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia Henry Steingass (standing second, third, and sixth from left in back) look on as USTDA Director Larry W. Walther (seated left) and Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong (seated right) sign the USTDA grant agreement that will fund technical assistance to the CAAV.
HANOI, VIETNAM (July 22, 2008) – Enhancing aviation safety and assisting Vietnam in meeting international aviation regulations is the subject of a USTDA grant awarded today to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV). The grant is part of a three-phase technical assistance program to encourage modern air safety regulation practices and to improve Vietnam’s aviation technology infrastructure as the country’s aviation sector continues to experience rapid growth.
“In today’s global economy, aviation infrastructure is essential to countries’ economic development,” said USTDA Director Larry W. Walther on today’s grant award. “This agreement is designed to help further establish the aviation safety infrastructure that is necessary to support an expanding air services market in Vietnam, as well as the growing Vietnam-U.S. relationship resulting from our increasing trade and investment ties.”
The $740,413 grant was conferred by USTDA Director Walther during a signing ceremony held at CAAV’s headquarters. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong signed the grant agreement on behalf of the Government of Vietnam. The signing was witnessed by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Michael W. Michalak.
USTDA and the CAAV collaborated on a Phase I safety effort, launched in late 2006 together with U.S. industry and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to assist Vietnam and the CAAV in meeting defined international aviation standards. Today’s grant agreement would help complete the multi-year program by addressing the record keeping, licensing, and certification procedures that are part of obtaining Category I status under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASA).
CAAV has selected Robinson Aviation, Inc. (Washington, D.C.) to provide the expert air safety and regulatory development services under the planned assistance program. This collaboration is expected not only to improve safety and promote Vietnam’s economic growth, but also U.S. aviation interests in the growing air services market of Vietnam and the broader Southeast Asia region. The potential is significant for long-term exports in airline services and systems, air traffic management technology and services, and aircraft sales.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.
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