Dubai, UAE, December 13, 2017:  The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) attended ICAO’s tenth ICAN ‘Air Services Negotiation Event’ from 4th–8th December 2017 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka. 

The objective of the conference is to facilitate bilateral (or multilateral) air service negotiations between ICAO Member States by providing a central meeting place for States to gather and conduct private negotiations in one location.

This year 77 countries participated in the conference and held discussions on current trends in the regulation of air transport policies and liberalization in line with relevant ICAO guidelines. ICAN also provides member States with a forum to learn latest trends and discuss issues affecting the aviation industry in their particular State. 

H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of UAE GCAA said; “ICAN is a very important event in the global aviation calendar and GCAA spent three months preparing for the conference. These preparations were rewarded with highly constructive talks to enhance air transport connectivity between the UAE and some 23 countries that will help to meet the demands of our national companies. 

H.E. continued: “As one of biggest passenger hubs in the world and ranked as the top ICAO member state in compliance level with ICAO requirements in terms of safety and security, the UAE also has a lot to offer other member states in terms of experience and expertise. Furthermore during the conference the UAE was praised for its approach to pursuing a climate liberalization policy.”  

During the conference the UAE signed of a number of important MOU’s with states including, the Republic of Brazil, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Republic of Gambia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The UAE delegation also recorded discussions with the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Mauritius and agreements with the Swiss Federal Government and the Republic of Ghana.
 
H.E. Saif al-Suwaidi said:  “The new agreements and discussions signed during ICAN will be of great mutual benefit allowing carriers increase air traffic between the UAE and the various countries which in turn will help to open up new opportunities for trade.”

More widely the conference was an opportunity for GCAA to identify the issues and challenges facing the civil aviation industry in other countries and to see how we can provide the necessary support to these countries. GCAA is looking forward to participating and continuing these discussions next year at the conference which will be hosted in the Republic of Kenya in its capital Nairobi in the first quarter of 2018.

ICAN has been commended by participating delegations in the past as a highly efficient platform for conducting air service negotiations. Since its inception, the number of countries that attends ICAN meetings has steadily increased. So far more than a total of 141 States have participated in and benefited from ICAN at least once.