Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Essa Abdullah Al Maliki affirmed that Qatar’s winning of ICAO Council membership came as a culmination of its efforts and keenness to fulfill its ICAO obligations, and its active participation in all the initiatives it launched to develop the international civil aviation sector.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Maliki said that Qatar’s landslide victory with 160 votes put it among the highest-scoring countries in Group C and reflects the country’s great contributions and efforts, supported by the wise leadership, to provide unlimited support in the civil aviation sector.
He added that the victory is due to the success of the wise leadership and its insightful vision in backing the candidacy file from the beginning until the successful victory.
Since its permanent office at ICAO was opened in 2017 giving a qualitative boost to the aviation industry, the State of Qatar has been actively participating in all ICAO activities, and working to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences with various member states that have ICAO permanent offices, Al Maliki said.
He pointed out that Qatar has also, over the past few years, made important contributions to ICAO by providing support for a package of initiatives, most notably the No Country Left Behind (NCLB) initiative, the ICAO initiative to enhance the role of women working in the field of civil aviation, and the implementation package (iPACK), to support the Member States in their implementation efforts regarding air response, recovery and COVID-19 implementation activities.
Qatar also sponsored a number of ICAO initiatives, particularly the ICAO-Qatar Developing Country Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to students in developing countries that are ICAO member states to study in Qatar Aviation Academy, Al Maliki said, highlighting the memoranda of understanding signed by the General Civil Aviation Authority with the African Union, Latin American Union (CARICOM) of the Caribbean, and the Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services (COSENNA) to train workers, raise their capabilities and develop their skills in the field of civil aviation.
Al Maliki stressed that Qatar will double down on this approach, especially from its current position among the ICAO Council decision-makers to find solutions to the challenges facing the civil aviation industry, in cooperation with ICAO and the Member States, pointing out that the meetings of the ICAO Assembly are among the largest events of international civil aviation forums in the world, and bring together the most important actors in this field.
He pointed out that the State of Qatar worked during this event to strengthen the national carrier’s network with more air services agreements and memoranda of understanding, with agreements initialed between the State of Qatar and Belize and the Republics of Seychelles and Barbados, on the sidelines of Qatar’s participation in the 41st ICAO Assembly.
These agreements allow the national carrier to expand its network of destinations to reach more global destinations, he said, highlighting a memorandum of understanding signed with the Dominican Republic on air cargo flights between the two countries under the Seventh Freedom of The Air.
Al Maliki added that HE Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti and Mr. Mohammed Faleh Al-Hajri, who is in charge of managing Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, held intensive meetings with ministers and heads of civil aviation on the sidelines of ICAO activities.
He added that members of the State of Qatar’s delegation who took part in the meetings and committees of the ICAO Assembly played a key role in introducing the advanced and modern civil aviation sector that the State of Qatar has worked to build over the past years, which will enable it to use its expertise and experience that it has acquired to contribute significantly to the management of international civil aviation after winning ICAO Council membership.
He stressed that the State of Qatar’s endeavor, as one of the ICAO Council’s 36 Member States group C for the next three years 2023-2025, to devote its resources and expertise to serve the organization, its programs and initiatives, and support all Member States, and its work to make a valuable contribution to the management of international civil aviation, and to adopt a proactive approach, as it will work collaboratively with other Council members to find solutions to the various challenges facing international civil aviation.
The introductory pavilion by Qatar Civil Aviation Authority contributed to drawing attention to the vital role played by the State of Qatar in the field of civil aviation and the outstanding achievements of the national carrier, Hamad International Airport and the civil aviation system as a whole, noting that the reception held was characterized by the modernity of Hamad International Airport (HIA), with the reception hall designed in the form of an HIA’s departure hall to convey the travel experience in the airport.
Source: Civil Aviation Authority – Qatar