th 12 Anniversary Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal 31 December 2010 KATHMANDU NEPAL I am pleased to know that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is celebrating its 12th Anniversary with various programs and activities. A land-locked and topographically constrained country, Nepal, has a crucial role to play in the domain of air transportation for her development. Contrary to the comparatively slow and resource consuming process of road construction, air transportation is the most suitable way to accelerate the pace of economic and infrastructural development. Tourism in our country remains to be one of the major strongholds of the Nepalese economy for decades. It is only with the proper development of safe, secure, reliable and sustainable air transportation system that we can attract large number of tourists and promote tourism industry and transform the socio-economic lanscapes of the country. Therefore, it is considered the matter of an utmost importance that the quality of civil aviation and its services be enhanced and upgraded. The Government is ever committed to play an exemplary role in enhancing aviation safety and security as well as facilitating air travel. Since Nepal is launching the campaign of Nepal Tourism Year 2011, I would like to appeal to all the stakeholders to forge a collaborative partnership with States at all levels - sub regional, regional and global to make this national campaign a grand success. The scope of CAAN has thus grown more challenging due to increasing transport activities and national and international obligations to provide standard facilities and quality service. In this context, I believe, CAAN has a big role to play in regulationg and promoting healthy growth of air transport industry while also ensuring increased level of quality services and facilities to benefit the air passengers domestically as well as internationally. I am confident that like in the past, CAAN will remain committed forever to the sustainability of aviation sector. I would like to reiterate that the Government of Nepal is committed to stregthening national policies, laws and other necessary governing institutions in the civil aviation sector with greater flexibility in the days ahead. I would like to congratulate CAAN on the occassion of its 12th Anniversary and wish it a successful future. ( Madhav Kumar Nepal ) It gives me immense pleasure to know that the 12th Anniversary of the Civil Aivation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is being observed on 31st December. Personally and on behalf of the Ministry, I would offer my deepest felicitations to CAAN on the occasion. Nepal occupies a prominent space amongst popular destinations of the world. We are proactively geared toward ensuring safe, secure and reliable air transport system both domestically and internationally. Air transport has been highly instrumental in helping the connectivity of the country especially the geographically complex and remote regions of Nepal. The role of civil aviation, besides contributing to tourism, has thus been conspicuous in supporting national economy,. Furthermore, we find that the scope of the Authority is getting wider and more challenging with time due to increased aviation activities. Subsequently, the obligation of CAAN to provide standard facilities and services is also increasing. In this regard, the Ministry to Tourism and Civil Aviation is committed to extend its co-operation for the development and expansion of aviation and tourism infrastructures in the country. We would like to invite the aviation parteners, both government and non-government, to co- operate intensively to reiterate the significance of civil aviation. We are dedicated to achieving the goal of safe, secure and sustainable aviation. We are now at the consolidation phase in which we are revising legislation, organization structure and state operating system. Our plan and preparation to mark the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 is progressing well. It needs the support of every sector and sub-sector in the country. We are determined to improve and expand airport and tourism related facilities to accommodate the growing requirements. Given the tireless effort of the Government for improvement in the peace process and changing political landscape, it is the right time that Nepalese civil aviation takes a broader, higher and holistic outlook to synergize Nepalese air transport system. I am hopeful that the concerned political parties will come forward in a concerted manner toward engineering the civil aviation and tourism industry in a new milieu for a new Nepal. Finally, I wish CAAN all the success in its endeavor. Sharat Singha Bhandari Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation I am pleased to learn that Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is observing its 12th Anniversary and as part of various activities, it is publishing a special Souvenir magazine. The instrumental role of air transport cannot be over emphasized in the context of our country where toprgraphical constraint is the main obstacle for development. Therefore, air transport has been and indispensable vehicle to integrate Nepal with the outside world as well as the communities living in the remote areas within the country into the mainstream of national development. The importance of civil aviation in Nepal can be realized not only in integrating the nation but also in promoting tourism which is one of the most income generating sectors in a naturally rich and beautiful country like Nepal. Since the world aviation is galloping towards modernization and sophistication, only razor sharp reflexes can help maintain the pace of development in this field. This stands as one of the greatest challenges in the field of civil aviation in Nepal. I wish Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal all the best in being able to serve the country by providing safe and efficient aviation services together with keeping pace with the modern world aviation. I wish CAAN will strive to esclate in technology and facilities and will achieve succuss in providing quality serice to the people remaining within the boundary set by International Civil Aviation Organization and the national legal provisions. Finally, I would like to congratulate CAAN for its successful completion of 12 years of service and wish it a grand future ahead. Shatrudhn Prasad Singh Minister of State for Tourism and Civil Aviation Personally and on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, it is my pleasure, to extend heartfelt congratulations to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) on its 12th Anniversary. It is also a matter of delight that the 12th issue of the CAAN Souvenir magazine is being published to mark this day which is very auspicious for the aviation fraternity. One of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world, Nepal, is vying to offer the best in terms of a varied tourism product and accessibility. Tourism is now well recognized as a means of achieving high economic growth and realizing the social objective of providing a better quality of life. CAAN, undoubtedly, is the most important link in promoting tourism by integrating various countries of the world into the global air transport network. In this context, Nepal Tourism Year 2011 has been set and is aimed to attract at least 1 million tourists that year. We appreciate the immense contribution made by CAAN for the development and expansion of civil aviation in Nepal. In addition, it is gratifying to see that CAAN is geared towards coping with emerging challenges facing civil aviation sub-sector. We believe the celebration of anniversary is also an opportunity for CAAN to reflect upon its past performance and seek for any possibility of improvement to set improved course of action ahead. Against the backdrop of considerably increasing air traffic, we believe CAAN has a big role to play in the forthcoming days. We are confident that it will remain committed forever to the sustainability of aviation while being responsive to the demands of time for the adoption of appropriate technology. I would like to express hearty greetings and best wishes to CAAN on its anniversary. I wish to reiterate that the Government of Nepal will remain committed to strengthening national laws and institutions governing civil aviation with greater flexibility in the days ahead and also to cooperate with CAAN and support it in its efforts to ensure healthy air transportation system in the country. I urge all the stakeholders to cooperate with CAAN in its efforts to discharge the regulatory and service provider functions. Finally, I wish CAAN all the success in its endeavor. Kishore Thapa Secretary Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Message from Regional Director ICAO Asia Pacific I am pleased to note that Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is celebrating 12th Anniversary of its establishment on 31st December, 2010. On this occasion, I, on behalf of International Civil Aviation Organization, would like to express our best wishes and congratulations to all colleagues of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Nepal being a Contracting State of ICAO is playing a significant role to foster civil aviation in global as well as in regional level. I am also delighted that Nepal is celebrating Nepal Tourism Year 2011 with an aim to bring one million tourists. I am confident that CAAN would be playing a pivotal role to make this campaign a grand success. Air transport in Nepal has bigger role to play for better connectivity inside the country as well as with rest part of the world. ICAO is always with country like Nepal to render its support and assistance for safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation. I believe Nepalese civil aviation which is embarking upon a new phase of development both on technical and operational fields will keep pace with the changing environments of technological development and service standards to the travelling public in providing safe and secure air transport system.