Qatar joined member states across the Middle East in backing new initiatives to protect airports from drone threats, improve security screening, restore regional air connectivity, and tackle climate risks, according to Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID).
The agreements were reached during the 8th ICAO Meeting of Directors General of Civil Aviation for the Middle East Region (DGCA-MID/8) held recently in Doha, where the trade group called for stronger measures to address airport security, improve airport resilience, restoration of air connectivity, and accelerated climate action across the Middle East.
The discussions saw several member states voice support for ACI APAC & MID’s proposals, with calls for closer cooperation and measures to address challenges facing airports.
To counter landside security threats and drone attacks, ACI APAC & MID partnered with Qatar and CASP-MID to call for closer regional cooperation.
Member states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and the UAE, expressed support for ACI APAC & MID’s recommendations in addressing the drone and security threats. Building on this regional consensus, ACI APAC & MID plans to organise joint workshops and webinars with ICAO and regional partners in 2027.
The aviation group also pushed for trials of advanced screening technology, such as CT scanners, to strengthen security and streamline the screening of liquids, aerosols, and gels (LAGs).
Participating states agreed to support airports conducting these technology trials while improving passenger communication as global requirements evolve.
ACI APAC & MID emphasised the need to restore air connectivity and secure long-term investment to expand airport capacity. Delegates recognised these funding priorities, encouraging governments to support traffic recovery and build sustainable financing frameworks for airport infrastructure.
Addressing environmental concerns, ACI APAC & MID presented practical tools to evaluate climate risks and cut emissions across regional facilities. A pilot study covering 47 airports revealed that extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and severe storms threaten roughly 58% of assessed airport infrastructure and services.
Meeting participants recommended that governments encourage local airports to use these climate risk tools and join the Net Zero Roadmap Programme, an initiative endorsed by Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA).
The trade association highlighted the importance of integrating business continuity plans into safety management and emergency response setups to maintain essential operations during major disruptions.
ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East director general Stefano Baronci described airports as critical economic infrastructure that require joint protection and sustained investment.
Baronci said, “Airports are critical economic infrastructure. Protecting them from emerging threats, ensuring they can withstand disruptions and investing in their future are shared responsibilities.
“We welcome the support from member states for our recommendations and look forward to working together to make airports across the Middle East safer, more resilient and better prepared for the future.”
ACI APAC & MID represents more than 600 airport members across 40 countries, operating out of its regional headquarters in Hong Kong and a sub-regional office in Riyadh.
The organisation stated it will continue coordinating with ICAO, regional governments, and industry partners to support a resilient aviation sector.
