Indonesia, Singapore Look Forward to ICAO Approval of New Airspace Arrangements

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong looked forward to approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the new arrangements under the Flight Information Regions (FIR) agreement between both countries.

This was disclosed after they held a Leaders’ Retreat on Thursday, March 16 in Singapore, according to a statement provided by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via its embassy in Jakarta.

The Straits Times reported that the agreement on airspace management, along with an agreement on defense cooperation and another on the extradition of fugitives, was concluded in 2022 when the leaders met in Bintan. The three agreements collectively come under an expanded framework between both countries.

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The aforementioned agreements will officially begin on a mutually agreed date after the ICAO gives its approval for the new airspace arrangements.

The Singapore FIR, which air traffic controllers here have managed since 1946, currently covers the airspace over Indonesia’s Riau and Natuna islands.

Under the FIR agreement, this airspace will come under the Jakarta FIR, but Singapore will be delegated to continue providing air navigation services in portions of this airspace for 25 years.

“The resolution of these longstanding issues is a testament to the strength and maturity of our bilateral relations,” the ministry’s statement said.

Both leaders reaffirmed the excellent state of relations between Singapore and Indonesia. They agreed that the bilateral relationship had strengthened substantially over Jokowi's two terms as President, providing a solid foundation to develop new areas of cooperation that are deep, multifaceted, forward-looking, and mutually beneficial for future generations.

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