At the invitation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, Nairobi), the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) participated on August 30 and 31, 2021, through video teleconference, in a symposium on promoting and harnessing the benefits of the liberalization of air transport services.
This symposium was attended by more than 240 representatives of 57 civil aviation authorities of Africa and the Middle East, 13 international and regional organizations, as well as banking institutions. During the opening session, which included interventions by H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and H.E. Mrs. Amani Abu Zeid, Commissioner of Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission, HE Engineer Abdul Nabi Manar, Director-General of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), noted the mobilization of the international community to focus on managing the crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic at the outset, and secondly the involvement of all its components in developing a global approach to restarting and recovery, including civil aviation authorities, international and regional organizations, the air transport industry as well as professional associations.
His Excellency also pointed out that the League OF Arab States is working hard to support the recovery of the economies of member states, including the travel and tourism sector, especially at the level of the councils of ministers of health, transport and tourism.
He stressed the need for continued coordination and consultation to reach consensus on the challenges facing us, and to find new solutions that will help the policies of Arab and African governments to develop the sector we are promoting, that will respond to the aspirations of international air transport users, and support the operation of our airlines, including joining international conventions and protocols that will strengthen and develop legal frameworks that contribute to the growth of their activities, and enhance cooperation and integration between these companies in terms of training, recruitment and optimal use of all gains in general.
The two-day symposium provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and information, as well as for the exchange of experiences among regulatory policymakers and air transport, industry representatives, aviation professionals and other stakeholders from the African and Middle East regions in particular.
Finally, the Symposium concluded with a statement calling on States, international and regional organizations and financial institutions to continue their efforts to meet the challenges of COVID- 19 and to restore aviation activity, to align themselves with the regional regulatory framework for air transport, cross-border cooperation and investment in airlines, to avoid raising fees or imposing new charges as they have a negative impact on the sustainability of air transport, as well as to stimulate investments in financing the development of aviation infrastructure.