An airport security training agreement was signed on 21 June by Mark Alexander, Managing Director of Restrata and Sherif Khaled, CEO and Managing Director of National Falcon. (Photo Courtesy of the Ministry of Civil Aviation)
National Falcon Company for Airport Security signed an agreement Tuesday with British company Restrata for Consulting and Training, Egypt's civil aviation ministry said.
The training programme will develop the skills of 7000 Egyptian Falcon Group personnel in airport security procedures.
The move comes as a number of European countries, including the UK and Russia, continue to restrict travel to Sharm El-Sheikh airport since a Russian Metrojet airliner which took off from the south Sinai port crashed last October killing all 224 people on board.
Restrata will train new National Falcon airport security staff in screening procedures for passengers and baggage, according to the training contract.
The UAE-based British aviation security company also became Falcon's airport security consultant, according to a second contract signed Tuesday, the civil aviation ministry said.
The security consultancy contract stipulates that Restrata would "implement training methods, evaluate the training levels, asses the trainees during their work, as well as issuing security risk reports, giving recommendations, reviewing and evaluating of inspection procedures," the ministry statement read.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the companies to establish a training institute for airport security training.
British ambassador John Casson and Civil Aviation Minister Sherif Fathi attended the signing ceremony.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of British and Egyptian people as they travel between our countries," Casson said, according to the press release.
"I'm proud that Britain is Egypt's leading and most active partner on the road to a world class airport security system that could be a model for the world . Today's new UK-Egypt partnership is another important step on that road," the ambassador said.
The agreement was signed by Mark Alexander, Managing Director of Restrata and Sherif Khaled, CEO and Managing Director of National Falcon, a joint venture for airport security between Egyptian private security company Falcon Group International and the Egyptian government.
The Egyptian civil aviation minister said the agreement reflects the ministry's determination to enhance airport security in Egypt and to apply international security procedures, according to the ministry's statement.
National Falcon is set to start its airport security work in Sharm El Sheikh airport, Chairman of the Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation Ismail Abul Ezz – who also attended the ceremony – told Al Mal newspaper on Monday.
Short link: