ICAO Secretary General: Egypt is an effective strategic partner in supporting the organization's programs in the Middle East
Aviation Minister: Cairo is a pivotal regional hub supporting ICAO's activities in the region
Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, today signed an agreement renewing Egypt's hosting of the ICAO Regional Office for the Middle East with Juan Carlos Salazar, the organization's Secretary General, in line with the political leadership's directives to strengthen the Arab Republic of Egypt's position as a regional and international hub for the air transport industry, and in a step reflecting the Egyptian state's advanced standing regionally and internationally in civil aviation.
The agreement was signed at the ministry's headquarters in the presence of Mohamed Rahma, Director of the organization's Air Transport Bureau, who was recently appointed as ICAO Regional Director for the Middle East; Navigator Sameh Fawzy, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority; Eng. Amr Nagaty, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation; Reem Orabi, Egypt's Alternate Representative on the ICAO Council; Mohamed Samawy, Deputy Director of the ICAO Regional Office in Cairo; and Lamiaa Samy, Director General of International Relations at the Ministry of Aviation.
After the signing, the two sides toured the organization's regional office headquarters to view its working mechanisms and follow up on the technical programs the office implements to support member states in the region.
In this context, the Minister of Civil Aviation stressed that renewing Egypt's hosting of this important regional office embodies ICAO's confidence in the institutional capabilities and advanced infrastructure of the Egyptian state, and reflects Egypt's leading role in supporting and developing civil aviation regionally and internationally, noting the ministry's continued efforts to strengthen cooperation frameworks with international organizations, helping achieve the highest rates of safety and operational efficiency.
El-Hefny added that Egypt's hosting of the regional office makes it a pivotal center for providing technical support, training and capacity building to member states in the Middle East, enhancing the integration of the regional air transport system and supporting sustainable development plans in this vital sector.
For his part, the ICAO Secretary General expressed his appreciation for Egypt's effective role in supporting the organization's activities, stressing that the Cairo regional office is one of the vital offices that contribute significantly to implementing ICAO programs and providing technical support to member states, enhancing aviation safety levels, improving operational efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the air transport industry.
It is worth noting that the Arab Republic of Egypt has hosted the ICAO Regional Office since 1953. The Cairo regional office is one of 7 regional offices worldwide and specializes in providing technical support to member states in the Middle East region, which includes 15 countries, in addition to its role in supporting the organization's goals of enhancing aviation safety, improving operational efficiency and applying the concepts of sustainability and innovation in civil aviation.
