The European Union (EU) and South Asian states celebrated the launch of a new project to enhance their ties in civil aviation. This four-year project, managed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), will enhance aviation safety, promote institutional and industrial links, and mitigate the environmental impact of aviation.

The project will be implemented with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It was officially launched at the occasion of the Global Aviation Safety forum on Regional Safety Oversight Organizations in Swaziland.

Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA, said “South Asia has the highest forecast traffic growth of any region in the world over the next 20 years. Europe looks forward to partnering with South Asia to meet the opportunities and challenges this presents.”

The project will also promote technical cooperation at the regional level and enhance EU-South Asia policy dialogue. The €7.5 million project is funded by the European Union.