ALTA and the Government of Ecuador signed a civil aviation cooperation agreement to achieve a safer and more efficient air transport. Credit: Latin American & Caribbean Air Transport Association.

The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority of Ecuador and the Ministry of Transport and Public Works of Ecuador to improve the civil aviation sector.

The partnership intends to promote cooperation and technical assistance in several areas including operational safety, air navigation and technical-administrative processes.

Both ALTA and the Government of Ecuador will share their technical capabilities, knowledge, experience, skills, resources and technologies to encourage a safer and more efficient air transport system.

Ecuador Transport and Public Works Minister Boris Paúl Palacios Vásquez said: “The agreement with ALTA is of fundamental importance for Ecuador because it will allow us to have updated safety data and comparative analyses of the region.

“This will lead to the execution of two international events of fundamental importance for the country.”

“Safety is our number one priority and I am convinced that raising safety standards in the region requires a joint effort among all players in the aviation industry.”

As part of the agreement, ALTA selected Ecuador as the venue for the tenth edition of the Pan American Aviation Safety Summit, which aims to develop critical solutions for the aviation industry and offer improved safety to passengers.

The summit will be organised by ALTA in collaboration with Regional Aviation Safety Group Pan America (RASG-PA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Flight Safety Foundation.

ALTA executive director Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “Safety is our number one priority and I am convinced that raising safety standards in the region requires a joint effort among all players in the aviation industry.

“The signing of this MoU will allow us to share data, experience and resources for the implementation of safety measures, routes and projects and to work hand in hand in continuing to make air transport the safest and most efficient means of transportation.”

World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has estimated that the travel and tourism sector in Ecuador has generated more than 344,000 jobs and contributed more than $5bn to the country’s GDP.