President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met on Sunday with Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Minister of Civil Aviation Minister Sameh El-Hefny and ICAO Regional Director for the Middle East, Mohamed Rahma, attended the meeting.
President Sisi voiced Egypt’s appreciation for the organisation’s vital role as the global authority responsible for regulating civil aviation and ensuring high standards of safety and efficiency, Presidency Spokesman Mohamed El Shennawy said.
He also lauded the ongoing co-operation between Egypt and ICAO at both bilateral and regional levels, especially with Cairo hosting the organization’s regional office for the Middle East.
During the meeting, President Sisi stressed Egypt’s commitment to developing the civil aviation sector, describing it as a strategic field directly linked to overall economic development.
He also highlighted the sector’s key role in supporting trade, tourism, and investment, as well as strengthening connectivity between markets and countries.
The president noted that Egypt is implementing a comprehensive plan to modernise civil aviation, including upgrading infrastructure, improving service quality, increasing operational efficiency, enhancing technical and human capabilities, and expanding airport capacity, Spokesman El-Shennawy added.
For his part, Salazar commended Egypt’s pivotal role in supporting and advancing civil aviation at both regional and international levels.
He also lauded the efforts by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Egyptian airports in handling a large number of emergency and rescheduled flights due to the closure of several airspaces during regional conflicts.
Egypt has managed these challenges efficiently and responsibly, ensuring safe and organized air traffic, he stressed.
Th two sides agreed on the importance of strengthening cooperation between Egypt and ICAO, El-Shennawy said.
Minister Sameh El-Hefny noted that an agreement had been signed to renew the hosting of ICAO’s regional office in Cairo, highlighting ongoing technical and operational cooperation and affirming Egypt’s commitment to building on past achievements and continuing joint work to meet future opportunities and challenges in the aviation sector.
