GACA Concludes Participation In ICAN 2024 With 15 New Air Transport Agreements Signed

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), recently concluded its participation in the International Civil Aviation Negotiation Event (ICAN 2024). This event, held from October 21-25 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and saw participation from over 80 countries and several international organisations.

During ICAN 2024, GACA signed a total of 15 agreements and memoranda of understanding with various countries to enhance bilateral cooperation in air transport. These agreements aim to expand the network of connections and improve collaboration between Saudi Arabia and other nations. More than 30 bilateral meetings took place throughout the event.

Among the signed agreements were eight memoranda of understanding and minutes of discussions with countries such as Uzbekistan, Suriname, Belarus, Cuba, Türkiye, Liberia, and Brunei Darussalam. Additionally, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Mongolia concerning a draft bilateral agreement on air services.

The president of GACA engaged in numerous bilateral meetings with leaders from civil aviation authorities worldwide. Discussions were held with officials from Seychelles, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Liberia. These talks focused on strengthening economic ties and collaboration in air transport.

A memorandum of discussion was also signed with the United States by GACA Executive Vice President for Air Transport and International Cooperation Ali bin Mohammed Rajab. This included a draft protocol to amend the Air Services Agreement. Furthermore, an agreement was reached with South Africa on air transport.

Additional meetings were conducted with delegations from Jamaica, Kuwait, and India. These resulted in signed minutes of consultations aimed at boosting cooperation in air transport. A meeting with representatives from the Republic of Korea also took place to explore various topics related to civil aviation collaboration.

Strategic Objectives for Future Growth

The agreements are designed to support strategic objectives within the civil aviation sector. They aim to build international partnerships that enhance Saudi Arabia's air connectivity to 250 destinations globally. The goal is to transform it into a global logistics platform capable of transporting 330 million passengers annually by 2030.

An Air Services Agreement was signed with Guinea during ICAN 2024. Further discussions were held with delegations from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Russia, India, Ethiopia, and Austria. These meetings focused on enhancing cooperation in civil aviation.

With inputs from SPA