Nepal's aviation to be off EU's blacklist soon: Civil Aviation Minister Shrestha

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has expressed the hope that the European Union would remove Nepal from its air safety list as the country has improved significantly on its air safety standards.

The EU should review its earlier decision on the matter as Nepal has achieved above the world's average in aviation according to the international report on the implementation of the air safety standards of Nepal, said the minister at the 21st annual general meeting of the Nepal Air Traffic Controllers' Association here on Wednesday. Nepal's improvements in its air safety standards implementation have been 70.1 per cent on average, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Nepali aircrafts have been barred from flying in Europe's sky since 2013 citing safety issues, while the ICAO in 2017 lifted a ban on Nepali airlines. Meanwhile, the minister stressed the need for all stakeholders to make the country's aviation safe, regular, quality and effective. On the occasion, former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Triratna Manandhar was honoured.