As ICAO prepares to commemorate next year’s 80th anniversary of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, we are recognizing that there are many milestones we are proud to celebrate. At the invitation of the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation, ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar participated in a celebration on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Egypt’s hosting of ICAO’s Middle East Regional Office in Cairo. Egypt’s Minister of Civil Aviation, H.E. Air Marshal Mohamed Abbas Helmy (pictured below centre), received Mr. Salazar (pictured to his left), at the Ministry’s headquarters located in the New Administrative Capital.
The Minister and the Secretary General emphasized the significance of Egypt’s strong relationship with ICAO, particularly in terms of cooperation in achieving progress towards international civil aviation’s strategic objectives, and highlighted the importance of identifying opportunities for heightening this collaboration. Mr. Salazar also expressed his profound appreciation to the Government of Egypt for hosting ICAO’s MID Regional Office for the past seven decades.
During the Secretary General’s mission, a new technical support agreement to restructure and design Egyptian airspace was concluded. The agreement was signed on the Egyptian side, by the Head of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, Pilot Amr El-Sharkawy (pictured second from right). It aims to provide effective solutions for redesigning Egyptian airspace and planning air routes in a way that enhances the reduction of flight time, achieves flexibility in Egyptian airspace more efficiently, and reduces the percentage of carbon emissions, in addition to improving all areas of safety in the civil aviation facility. The signing was attended by the Permanent Representative of Egypt on the ICAO Council, Pilot Sameh El Hefny (pictured third from right).
The Secretary General’s mission to Egypt took place from 17 to 18 November 2023. He was accompanied by ICAO’s Regional Director for the Middle East, Mr. Mohammed Abubaker Farea (pictured far left); the Director of ICAO’s Air Transport Bureau, Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Rahma (second from left); and the Director of ICAO’s Capacity Building and Implementation Bureau, Mr. Jorge Vargas (far right).
