Dubai, 31st March 2015

The General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector (TRA) hosts a workshop on the security and safety of civil aviation in the country, organized by the UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT) at the TRA, with the participation of major national airlines and airports, along with some private aviation companies, agencies and departments concerned with the topic.

The workshop was intended to showcase latest technologies and certified software in the capacity of maintaining the highest levels of safety and reliability, as well as the procedures to be taken to raise safety levels, and their expected impact and effectiveness in the near future. The discussions also focused on the most important challenges and opportunities related to the aviation industry and the points that should be the focus of scientific research in this field in the future, in order to improve safety standards and promoting them on a global level.

"Our business strategy is based on thought processes to find proactive and preventive solutions, and this approach is applied to all relevant sectors in the TRA's field. The aviation industry is one of the most important economic influences of the nation, where national companies assume a prominent position in the world, which requires us to improve the safety and security regulations adopted for technological standards in this sector," said His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, TRA Director General.

"We believe in the need to coordinate efforts with all entities operating within the aviation sector in the country in order to establish clear mechanisms to maintain the highest levels of security and safety and deal with emergency situations. The presence of representatives from all the companies involved in this topic is proof of the seriousness and correctness of direction that we are achieving at this stage," said Adel Al Muhairi, aeCERT Director.

The United Arab Emirates, represented by the TRA, has presented a work paper showcasing clear mechanisms to keep track of civil air traffic paths, through their participation at the ITU Plenipotentiary Competition (PP14), held in Korea in October 2014. This was adopted by the conference participants, which was comprised of the world's largest gathering of member countries in the International Telecommunication Union.

The workshop witnessed the provision of many ideas and unique solutions, while debates characterized a large degree of seriousness and the interaction between the audience, which included representatives from Emirates Airlines, Fly Dubai, Abu Dhabi Aviation as well as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah airports and representatives from private aviation companies in the country and experts in the field of aviation safety and security.

-Ends-

About the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
TRA is building the core ICT regulatory framework for the UAE's burgeoning knowledge economy. ICT development underpins economic growth and social advancement, and is a critical pillar in the nation's broader 2021 Vision.

The TRA supports the UAE's ICT sector by safeguarding competition to protect the interests of subscribers, enhancing the readiness of e-services, encouraging investment, innovation and development, whilst facilitating a broader ecosystem for human capital development.

For more information about the TRA, please visit: www.tra.gov.ae

© Press Release 2015