Advancing strategic priorities for Middle East aviation
The seventh meeting of the Directors General of Civil Aviation in the Middle East Region (DGCA-MID/7), which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia concluded with a shared commitment to advance…
The seventh meeting of the Directors General of Civil Aviation in the Middle East Region (DGCA-MID/7), which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia concluded with a shared commitment to advance strategic priorities for aviation in the region.
The meeting, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, brought together the leadership of the region’s air transport regulators, along with high-level representatives from international and regional organisations and industry partners, to discuss key initiatives and collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for aviation in the Middle East.
In his opening remarks, the President of the ICAO Council Salvatore Sciacchitano emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the challenges facing the aviation industry, stating, “The Middle East region has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of global challenges. By working together and leveraging our collective strengths, we can ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for aviation in the region and beyond.”
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar outlined the Organization’s current strategic objectives and priority focus areas in his keynote address. Highlighting the need for collaborative efforts to achieve the Long-Term Global Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, noting the importance of sustainable aviation fuels, new technologies, and operational improvements.
Salazar stressed the importance of collaboration, stating: “Significantly strengthening our collective commitment, both politically and financially, to the programmes and workstreams within each of these focus areas will directly enable us to drive meaningful, tangible progress in the Middle East region and beyond.”
Other priorities discussed included measures to bolster aviation cybersecurity, implement the ICAO Trust Framework, strengthen regional crisis preparedness, facilitate the integration of new airspace entrants, and continue the evolution of ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) and Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP).
Mohamed Abubaker Farea, ICAO Regional Director for the Middle East, underscored the vital role of regional cooperation: “The ICAO MID Regional Office plays a pivotal role in delivering assistance to States and coordinating crisis response. We deeply appreciate the voluntary contributions and implementation support provided by States under the No Country Left Behind initiative, which is crucial to ensuring that all countries in the region can benefit from the growth and development of the aviation sector.”
Salazar joined the President of the Council in congratulating the Middle East Region for the initiative to develop the MID Region Air Transport Strategic Plan 2025-2040, which was endorsed by this meeting.
ICAO senior leaders also commended the spirit of cooperation and respect for safety prioritization exemplified by the rapid addressing of several Air Traffic Management (ATM) operational challenges through the MID Contingency Coordination Teams (CCTs), and the support provided to States for the development and update of their ATM Contingency Plans.
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