The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and Indonesia to enhance cooperation in search and rescue operations within their shared aviation boundaries.
The MoU, originally signed on January 24, 2018, between the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka and Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, was valid for five years.
Although an extension was approved in February 2023, the agreement had not been re-signed until now.
Under the renewed MoU, effective from 2025 for another five years, both countries will continue to coordinate rescue efforts in the southeastern boundary of the Colombo Flight Information Region.
Sri Lanka, as a signatory to the ICAO Chicago Convention, holds responsibility for search and rescue over 625,000 square nautical miles of designated airspace.
The renewal aims to strengthen bilateral coordination in accordance with international aviation safety standards. (Newswire)