USTDA awarded three grants to Indonesia’s Directorate General of Air
Communications during the APEC Transportation Ministerial.  Pictured
here following the grant signing ceremony are U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Norman Mineta (left), USTDA Director Askey and Indonesia’s Director
General of Air Communications Cucuk Suryo Suprojo.

The 4th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Transportation Ministerial Meeting provided an important forum for discussion on a wide variety of transportation issues in the region. The promotion of efficiency, safety, security and environmental protection, while also advancing APEC’s trade facilitation goals, topped the agenda. 

At the meeting, USTDA Director Askey announced support for a new training program to assist selected APEC economies in meeting the requirements of the International Maritime Organization’s International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS).

During the meeting, Director Askey also signed an agreement awarding a grant to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, Ltd. for a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) test bed demonstration project. 

In addition to the training grant and demonstration project, Director Askey signed three agreements awarding grants to Indonesia’s Directorate General of Air Communications.  U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, who led the U.S. delegation at the APEC meeting, signed as a witness to the agreements. The first grant will find technical assistance to assess safety and security procedures at Indonesia’s airports. The second will provide assistance for an air traffic control project on Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in the South China Sea. The third will fund technical assistance for the airline industry in Indonesia on the use of computer reservation systems.

Both the ISPS training program and the safety and security assessments at Indonesia’s airports are consistent with the Asian Development Bank’s Regional Trade and Financial Security Initiative (RTFSI). The Initiative was established by APEC Leaders to strengthen anti-money laundering efforts, combat the financing of terrorism, and enhance port security. USTDA pledged $2.5 million in support for RTFSI at the 2003 APEC Leaders Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. 

The APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting in Bali was an effective forum for discussion on transportation issues of mutual interest to APEC members.  USTDA looks forward to continuing to play a prominent role in support of key APEC objectives in the future.