UAE-Kuwait Civil Aviation Cooperation: GCAA And DGCA Host Virtual Workshop

UAE and Kuwaiti aviation officials have explored new ways to deepen their partnership in air transport during a high-level virtual workshop that examined past achievements and future projects in the sector, underlining how closer coordination can support national plans and regional growth.

The General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE worked with Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation to organise the online event, titled "UAE-Kuwait Cooperation Horizons in Civil Aviation", which drew more than 200 participants from civil aviation authorities, airports, and related organisations in both countries.

Speakers reviewed the long record of joint work in civil aviation, covering historic agreements, memoranda of understanding, and formal mechanisms that have guided collaboration. They also highlighted structured knowledge-sharing programmes that help harmonise safety, security, and air transport procedures across both states and support wider regional aviation integration.

Considerable attention went to future areas of cooperation, including advanced air transport systems, urban air mobility, and the sector’s digital transformation. Discussions addressed artificial intelligence tools, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other emerging technologies, with participants assessing how these developments could be implemented under shared frameworks.

The workshop formed part of the "UAE & Kuwait: Brothers Forever" Week, which the UAE is marking to showcase deep historical ties and broad-based cooperation with Kuwait. Civil aviation is presented as one of the leading sectors in this relationship, reflecting its role in trade, tourism, and long-term economic planning in both countries.

The session was chaired by Captain Talal Johar, Senior Air Carriers Specialist at the UAE GCAA, and included contributions from Abdullah Al-Rajhi, Deputy Director-General for Aviation Safety, Air Transport and Aviation Security at the DGCA, and Mohammed Al Dossari, Senior Expert – Aviation Safety Affairs at the GCAA, who outlined technical, regulatory, and strategic priorities.

Regional and international coordination was another central theme, with the workshop examining cooperation through the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab Civil Aviation Organisation, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Officials noted that close alignment between the UAE and Kuwait supports their influence in international civil aviation decision-making and helps match regional standards with global practices.

Participants also discussed exchanging expertise on legislation, infrastructure development, and operational best practices to create supportive regulatory environments. They stressed that such joint efforts aim to deliver sustainable, effective outcomes and a practical model for bilateral and regional collaboration that can assist other developmental sectors, while backing national aviation development plans in both the UAE and Kuwait.

With inputs from WAM