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His Excellency Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Thani met separately with the Minister of Civil Aviation of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Sameh Ahmed El Hafny and Deputy Minister of Transport of Canada Arun Thangaraj, on the sidelines of Qatar's participation in the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The meetings discussed aspects of cooperation between Qatar and each of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Canada in areas of civil aviation and ways to enhance and develop them, particularly air transportation related activities.

The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS), aimed at enhancing co-operation in civil aviation.**media[361685]**The MoU was signed by QCAA Acting President Mohammed bin Faleh al-Hajri and CASSOS chairperson Nari Williams-Singh. The signing took place on the sidelines of the CARICOM Forum, held under the theme "Strengthening Regional Co-operation in Aviation Safety and Security for a Sustainable Future for All," in conjunction with the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), currently taking place in Montreal, Canada.**media[361686]**The agreement aims to bolster co-operation in various areas, including aviation safety, security, air navigation, and environmental sustainability. It also focuses on capacity building and professional development in the civil aviation sector, contributing to sectoral growth and integration of aviation systems both regionally and globally.**media[361687]**On the sidelines of the assembly, al-Hajri also held bilateral meetings with key international aviation leaders, including Deputy Administrator of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Chris Rocheleau; Director General of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, Alexander D'Orsogna; and Minister of Transport and Infocommunications of the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, Pengiran Dato Shamhary Mustapha.The meetings discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in civil aviation, support joint initiatives within ICAO, and exchange views on key issues on the agenda of the 42nd ICAO Assembly.

Safety, sustainability and efficiency will be top on IATA’s priority list as the International Air Transport Association gets ready for the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal from September 23 to October 3.ICAO has already accepted some 14 working papers authored by IATA covering a wide range of topics for the Assembly’s consideration.IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh noted, “IATA will be participating in the ICAO Assembly with safety, sustainability and efficiency at the top of our priority list. It is critical that we secure stronger support for SAF production and CORSIA as key enablers of aviation’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.“Equally, we need agreement to follow the principles and provisions of the Chicago Convention to avoid patchworks of debilitating tax measures and passenger rights regulations. And we must shore-up safety with timely accident reports, mitigations for GNSS interference and preservation of critical radio-frequency spectrum.”Global standards, many of which are developed by governments through ICAO, are crucial for safe, efficient and increasingly sustainable aviation operations worldwide.These standards are developed with the expertise and input of airline operators’ worldwide working with ICAO member states. The ICAO Assembly is a once-every-three-year opportunity for states to align on ICAO’s work programme as it addresses aviation’s most pressing issues.“The criticality of global standards to global aviation cannot be underestimated. I am optimistic for the outcomes of this Assembly. Everybody wants flying to be safe, efficient and more sustainable. So, we have a common agenda with governments. Indeed, many of our submissions to the Assembly are simply asking governments to more effectively implement what they have already agreed. The coming weeks in Montreal are essential to set the agenda, but even more important is the following three years of work to achieve what is agreed,” Walsh added.

Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) is participating in the 9th Aviation Africa Summit, organized by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. QCAA Acting President Mohamed Faleh al-Hajri is heading Qatar's delegation to the event, which began Thursday and will continue over two days. The summit addresses several key themes, including the future of the aviation industry in Africa, prospects for sector growth, sustainability, safety, risk assessment, and the challenges facing aviation. It also covers airport development and emerging technologies in the field. In his opening remarks during the 'Regional Cooperation' session, al-Hajri emphasized that the future of aviation in Africa hinges on enhanced co-operation between governments, regulatory bodies, and regional and international organizations. He reaffirmed Qatar's commitment as a strategic partner of AFCACto supporting such co-operation and working with African nations to build capacity and unlock the full potential of the continent’s aviation sector. Al-Hajri also highlighted Qatar's role in supporting Africa’s aviation agenda on the international stage, particularly through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He noted that the Qatar Airways network of passenger and cargo services plays a vital role in connecting Africa with the rest of the world, significantly contributing to air connectivity, as well as the promotion of trade, tourism, and cultural exchange. He concluded by stressing that Qatar's partnership with AFCAC and civil aviation authorities across African countries reflects not only its commitment to cooperation with the continent, but also its prominent role in shaping the future of global aviation.

Singapore has pledged to strengthen aviation safety practices around in-flight turbulence after two accidents last year that resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.Severe turbulence will now be classified as a state-level operational safety risk, alongside runway incursions, mid-air collisions and system failures, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in its Singapore National Aviation Safety Plan for 2025-2027, released on Wednesday.The report identified 45 actions to bolster safety around operational and emerging risk areas. Of the accidents logged by Singapore in 2024, turbulence ranked as the highest. In an earlier safety plan for 2022-2024, turbulence was mentioned mainly in the context of training and operational awareness, not classified as a priority risk area in its own right.In May last year, one person died and scores of passengers suffered serious injuries when a Singapore Airlines Ltd flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar. In September, one passenger and one cabin crew were injured on a Guangzhou-bound flight that ran into turbulence over Hong Kong. Investors continue to probe the cause of the May accident.In the immediate aftermath of that first incident, airlines worked to implement a variety of measures including drilling flight crews on turbulence-related scenarios and enhancing forecasting and detection systems.Midair instability is becoming a more common hazard for carriers and passengers as rising global air traffic density means more planes flying in crowded skies, often through the same storm systems. Climate change is another factor: warming temperatures at cruising altitudes are strengthening jet streams and creating conditions linked to more frequent episodes of so-called “clear-air turbulence.”Some of the recommendations made by CAAS in its latest safety plan were around enhancing the accuracy of meteorological information, improving advance turbulence forecasting and on-board detection systems, sharing real-time turbulence data globally and adopting wider use of modern weather radar and turbulence awareness applications for pilots.“The recent spate of serious aviation safety incidents around the world is a timely reminder that we must stay vigilant and not take safety for granted,” Han Kok Juan, CAAS director-general, said. “The National Aviation Safety Plan is a call to action for the Singapore aviation sector to work together to ensure aviation safety as we position ourselves for growth.”