Our EUR/NAT Office, which is based in Paris, works with 56 accredited Member States to strengthen aviation safety, security, and sustainability. Through capacity-building, training, and coordinated implementation of ICAO’s global Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), the Office serves as a key regional forum for harmonized aviation development.
One of these efforts is currently underway in Uzbekistan, a country positioned at the crossroads of Central Asia that is emerging as a key player in regional air transport growth. To help ensure this growth is safe, sustainable, and resilient, ICAO launched its first-ever Country Strategic Plan of Action (COSPA) with Uzbekistan in 2024—an innovative, three-year programme aimed at building long-term national aviation safety capabilities.
Uzbekistan’s aviation sector took a significant step forward as the second meeting of the Country Strategic Plan of Action (COSPA) Strategic Review Board (SRB) convened in Tashkent. Co-chaired by the Director General of the Uzbekistan Civil Aviation Authority (UZCAA) and the Regional Director of ICAO’s EUR/NAT Office, the meeting brought together national and international aviation leaders (including from France, Airbus, Boeing, IATA and ACI-Europe), as well as the World Bank, to assess progress and set priorities for Year 2 of the COSPA Programme.
This programme – the first of its kind developed by ICAO – aims to significantly enhance the State’s aviation safety capabilities. It will improve the capabilities for strategic planning, safety oversight, accident and incident investigation, safety management, and operational safety in support of the sustainable socio-economic development of this doubly landlocked country. Under the COSPA framework, capacity development needs related to aviation safety are prioritized through a three-year plan, supported by a targeted list of implementation activities (conducted by ICAO or COSPA Partners).
Key outcomes of the SRB02 meeting included:
- A renewed commitment to strengthening aviation safety oversight through expanded inspectorate staffing and training
- An agreement to enhance collaboration between regulators and industry on safety intelligence and risk mitigation
- Plans for Uzbekistan airports to undergo ACI World’s Airport Excellence (APEX) peer reviews and for air operators to consider IATA Operational Safety Audits (IOSA)
- Launch of a COSPA internet-based toolbox to track progress and promote transparency
ICAO’s EUR/NAT Regional Director, Nicolas Rallo, emphasized the urgency of securing additional resources and institutional autonomy for the UZCAA to meet the demands of a rapidly growing aviation sector, “Uzbekistan’s efforts under the COSPA framework are more than a national undertaking—they are a model of how shared vision, sustained commitment, and multilateral cooperation can rapidly accelerate aviation progress. As the programme enters its second year, the momentum behind COSPA sends a clear signal: when States and partners come together with a common purpose, the future of aviation safety is not only promising—it’s within reach.”