The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) joined the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and UAE Armed Forces to host the ICAO Gulf Satellite Aided Search and Rescue (SAR) Seminar and the South Center Data Distribution Region Meeting of the Cospas-Sarsat Program. The three-day seminar, which is held at the Armed Forces Officers' Club and Hotel in Abu Dhabi from 6-8 March, will focus on the benefits of sub-regional organization of civil aviation SAR services in the Gulf region. Closely coordinated SAR services and the need to strengthen SAR capacity in the MID region are a focal point of the seminar.
The seminar reviewed the establishment of a Gulf sub-regional aviation SAR coordination committee as an effective tool for improving SAR response throughout the area. The seminar provided an opportunity for GCC regulators as well as Search and Rescue Centers' staffs to meet and discuss best practices for enhanced cooperation among GCC countries.
Furthermore, it also will help to raise community and public awareness regarding the role of the Search and Rescue Center during emergencies and distress calls and the importance of beacon registration in the database of the TRA, which is the body representing the UAE in COSPAS-SARSAT. Expansion and accuracy of the database are vital to search and rescue operations.
H.E. Mohamed Al Ghanim, TRA Director General, delivered the welcome speech during the seminar's opening ceremony. He commented on the seminar and Cospas-Sarsat meeting saying, "A joint committee between TRA, GCAA and Armed Forces was established to guarantee coordination of the work and to facilitate effective hosting for the two coming events."
"The seminar offered TRA Spectrum Allocation staff opportunities to attend training workshops on the new beacon registration software and gained experience from renowned experts and speakers from Cospas-Sarsat, the international satellite search and rescue organization," added Al Ghanim.
Delegations from the Gulf States presented reports on Cospas-Sarsat capabilities, SAR organizational arrangements and the current status of the SAR Letters of Agreement between neighboring states.
Immediately following the seminar, the South Center Data Distribution regional meeting of the Cospas-Sarsat program will take place, 8-10 March at the Armed Forces Officers' Club and Hotel. The primary purpose of the Cospas-Sarsat meeting is to provide a forum to discuss ongoing and future cooperation within the South Central Data Distribution Region, which is limited to five countries (UAE, KSA, Nigeria, Spain and Algeria).
-Ends-© Press Release 2011
