On 7th and 8th March 2019, the PASO Reform Steering Committee convened at PASO’s Office in Port Vila, for the first meeting of 2019. This is the first time in recent memory that a Steering Committee meeting was held in Vanuatu. It represented an opportunity for PASO to make use of its new Conference Room. PASO’s office facilities were recently refurbished, following the signature of a new Hosting Agreement with the Government of Vanuatu (see story below).

Delegates traveled from Kiribati, Samoa, and PNG to attend the event, during which PASO provided an update on Reform Project Activities (past, present and future) as well as illustrating the impact that the Reform Project had on PASO’s financial and operational performance. Steering Committee delegates took note of the successful turnaround of the organization, and the Committee endorsed PASO’s proposals for future reform activities between now and December 2021, when the Reform Project is expected to end.

The PASO Reform Project is funded by the World Bank, as part of the wider Pacific Aviation Infrastructure Program (PAIP), which includes infrastructure upgrades to international airports in Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tonga and Tuvalu.