As part of the proceedings of the 42nd session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), held in the Canadian city of Montreal, Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, met with Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority of the United Arab Emirates, to discuss ways to support and strengthen joint cooperation in civil aviation between the two countries.
The meeting was attended on the Egyptian side by Captain Amr El-Sharkawy, Chairman of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, and Reem Orabi, Egypt's Alternate Representative to the organization, and on the Emirati side by Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, and Saeed Al Suwaidi, the UAE's Permanent Representative on the ICAO Council.
The meeting discussed prospects for cooperation and the exchange of expertise between Egypt and the UAE in civil aviation, and reviewed advanced initiatives to employ artificial intelligence technologies to strengthen the aviation safety system and raise operational efficiency, in light of global trends toward digital transformation and the development of the aviation industry.
In this context, Dr. Sameh El-Hefny stressed during the meeting that Egyptian-Emirati relations represent a distinguished model of constructive Arab cooperation, noting that the civil aviation sector in both countries is witnessing significant development in line with the latest international standards. He added that Egypt is keen to strengthen strategic partnerships and exchange expertise with the UAE in a way that supports sustainability efforts, helps reduce carbon emissions, supports comprehensive development plans and achieves the Sustainable Development Goals.
For his part, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri expressed his appreciation for the level of existing cooperation between the two brotherly countries, stressing that Emirati-Egyptian relations are deep-rooted and witnessing rapid growth in various fields. He noted that cooperation in civil aviation is a key pillar for supporting economic development and boosting air transport regionally and internationally, stressing the importance of continuing the work and adopting modern legislation and applications of innovation and artificial intelligence, as well as developing air navigation systems, in a way that enhances the two countries' position on the global aviation map.
