In the spirit of promoting innovation and closer cooperation between French and Singapore aerospace companies, AAIS and the Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIFAS) were pleased to conclude a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) on 21 June 2017.

The signing ceremony took place at the Paris Airshow, which was held at Le Bourget Parc des Expositions from 19 to 25 June 2017. AAIS was represented by Chief Executive Mr Sia Kheng Yok and GIFAS by Managing Director Mr Pierre Bourlot. The signing was witnessed by the GIFAS management and secretariat as well as the Singapore delegation, which included representatives from EDB, JTC, the Singapore Embassy in Paris and industry members.

France and Singapore have prioritised the strengthening of their respective innovation ecosystems, including programmes to promote research and development (R&D), as well as support entrepreneurship in innovative sectors.  This is reflected in the national strategies of the two countries. To promote closer cooperation between Singapore and France in innovation industries, French President Francois Hollande and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong declared 2018 as the France-Singapore Year of Innovation on 27 March 2017.

In support of this, AAIS and GIFAS agreed to develop cooperation activities between the two organisations to strengthen bilateral relations between Singaporean and French aerospace ecosystems and support the advancement of bilateral cooperation on innovation.

This is the fifth MOC entered into by AAIS and the third in 2017, following collaborative agreements signed with the New South Wales Department of Industry and the Aviation Valley Cluster in Poland. The MOC will last for an initial period of three years.