The UAE, represented by the General Civil Aviation Authority, has won the bid to host the third edition of the ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels, reports WAM. All member states of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) unanimously accepted the UAE's bid in a recent meeting of the Council held at the ICAO headquarters Montreal in Canada on 31 March 2023. The conference is oragnised every seven years, UAE national news agency WAM reported. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said: “The UAE’s hosting of the ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels coincides with its preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), a global platform and an important opportunity to achieve a set of goals.”
“Facilitating the global transition to a green economy, achieving sustainability, economic diversification and increasing green growth are such most important goals, in addition to discussing climate challenges and solutions to address them, he pointed out. This aligns with the UAE's declaration of 2023 as the year of sustainability to enhance the country's efforts in leading the climate action in the aviation sector,” Al Marri stressed. “The next stage will witness the strengthening of joint action to address the environmental and climatic challenges facing the world, which will contribute to achieving the goals of the country’s national strategies,” he added.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The UAE has a proven track record in environmental action, and regional and international cooperation to address the challenges of climate change. It makes the UAE an ideal destination for holding this important conference, especially with the country's recent announcement of the climate neutrality decision for the national aviation sector. The country is today considered as one of the pioneering countries in the field of sustainable fuels and low-carbon fuels, especially in the aviation sector.”
“The UAE was able to achieve a long record of achievements in climate action, which enabled it to gain the confidence of the international community, particularly the member states of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),” Al Suwaidi added.