PHNOM PENH, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia launched its first Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) here on Wednesday, aiming at boosting the development of air transport industry and tourism.
The center took four years to be constructed under the grant aid of 10.1 million U.S. dollars from the government of South Korea, said Cambodian Civil Aviation Secretary of State Mao Havannall.
"It will play a vital role to develop human resources in the civil aviation industry," he said during the CATC inauguration ceremony in the eastern compound of the Phnom Penh International Airport, adding that South Korean experts would assist the center with training programs.
The Southeast Asian nation has seen remarkable progress in the development of civil aviation industry in recent years, he said, adding that the country received 7 million air passengers in 2016, up from only 2.5 million in 2008.
Chung Woo Yong, vice president of the Korean International Cooperation Agency, said that Cambodia used to highly depend on other countries with high cost for aviation training on air traffic control, navigation safety facility management, and airport security and operation.
"Now, Cambodia has its own civil aviation school which is capable to train a large number of people," he said. "This project will result in aviation industrial development and increase in tourists that could ultimately contribute to the development at national level."
