These new commitments strengthened support for aviation in Africa

When government and industry leaders from across Africa gathered for this year’s African and Indian Ocean (AFI) Aviation Week, they strengthened cooperation across ICAO’s strategic priorities – and they signed new cooperation agreements! Bringing together aviation leaders, technical experts, and international and regional partners, the week provided a forum for assessing the region’s aviation performance, establishing priorities for 2026–2027, and identifying practical solutions to support their implementation.

The discussions came at an important time.

ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar noted that ICAO and our Member States have already begun implementing the ICAO Strategic Plan for 2050. “Africa’s engagement in this vision will be essential for our shared goals. It will help ensure aviation continues to boost connectivity, travel, trade, tourism, integration, and sustainable development.”

When the event opened on 27 July 2026, AFI Aviation Week was convened by ICAO and hosted in Cairo by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Throughout the week, delegates reviewed aviation performance across the AFI Region and identified implementation priorities. This included focused talks on the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market, strengthening institutional capacity, mobilizing sustainable financing, and developing a coordinated African position ahead of ICAO’s Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference to be held this November in Montréal.

In parallel, the first-ever AFI Donor Dialogue brought together over 20 partners, including States, international and regional organizations, development partners, and industry stakeholders, who committed to financial and in-kind support, technical cooperation, capacity-building, training, scholarships, expert deployments, and institutional partnerships.

One of our important priorities at ICAO is our mission to ensure that No Country is Left Behind, where partnerships with Member States and international organizations play a critical role. Through our Resource Mobilization Strategy, we work with key stakeholders across the globe to secure the financial and technical resources needed to support capacity development, implementation assistance, and transformative aviation projects. These contributions not only strengthen the foundation for safe, secure, and sustainable aviation, but also help States align with the broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—making aviation a powerful driver of inclusive growth and global development.

Implemented through the framework of the AFI Comprehensive Implementation Plans for Aviation Safety and AVSEC/FAL (AFI Plans), this support will progress on the priorities identified by delegates at AFI Week, including the improvement of aviation safety, security, and regulatory oversight; the enhancement of air navigation, search and rescue, and environmental sustainability; and the development of human resources, including women in aviation.

“African ownership and leadership must always be at the centre of implementation,” remarked Secretary General Salazar. “ICAO, through its Headquarters and Regional Offices, will stay fully committed to supporting Member States and partners as you move forward.”

To see more pictures from this event, click here.

The future of international air transport will take centre stage this November when we convene the Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference (ATConf/7) from 16 to 20 November 2026 at ICAO Headquarters. Though it is only held once a decade, this Conference is our highest-level global forum dedicated to the long-term strategic direction of international air transport. Under the theme, Air Transport: Powering Global Connectivity, Economic Development and Resilience in a Dynamic World, ATConf/7 will examine the trends, opportunities and challenges shaping aviation and help define priorities for the decade ahead.

This event will bring together senior government officials responsible for aviation policy—including representatives working across transport, infrastructure, finance, economic development and tourism—alongside invited international and regional organizations and industry stakeholders engaged in the economic development of air transport. Discussions will address policy issues ranging from economic regulation and infrastructure financing to innovation, resilience and sustainable growth, with these specific goals to:

• Advance economic regulatory frameworks to adapt to evolving market trends and technologies by leveraging data
• Enhance industry resilience by addressing workforce, supply chain, market access, emergency response gaps and consumer protection
• Mobilize blended financing to support civil aviation infrastructure
• Shape economic policy foundations for innovation and emerging technologies
• Strengthen institutional and human capacity
• Enable sustainable and inclusive growth in air transport