Air Transport for All: Hundreds of new air service agreements accelerate progress towards ICAO’s 2050 Vision
Air Transport for All: Hundreds of new air service agreements accelerate progress towards ICAO’s 2050 Vision
ICAO Air Services Negotiation event results in at least 440 new or updated agreements, accelerating progress towards safe and sustainable global air transport
Montréal, Canada and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 17 November 2025 – ICAO Member States have now reported reaching 440 new and updated bilateral and multilateral agreements at the International Civil Aviation Organization Air Services Negotiation Event 2025 (ICAN 2025).
These agreements are expected to support the implementation of the outcomes of the 42nd ICAO Assembly, which last month adopted a new suite of Resolutions supporting the ICAO 2050 Vision. The Resolutions provided the foundation and direction for this year’s negotiations, ensuring that new agreements reflect the Organization’s updated global priorities.
Concluding on 14 November 2025, the five-day event was hosted by the Dominican Republic and involved 87 ICAO Member States. Over 600 delegates were engaged in the negotiations.
ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano set a clear agenda for the meeting through his opening remarks. “Each new agreement should create better operating environments for airlines and airports, so businesses can thrive. Reach agreement on policies that improve air connectivity, deliver seamless journeys for passengers, and drive the growth of international air transport, and move beyond approaches that hinder progress,” he urged. “International air transport grows stronger when we embrace change, foster competition, and work together. Together we can unlock new routes, drive investment, and deliver better services for passengers and businesses everywhere.”
Market liberalization took steps forward at ICAN 2025, tailored to the unique needs of each region. Delegates were asked to build flexibility into their agreements, expand market access, and ensure that developing States and smaller markets fully benefit from these developments to reflect the recent Assembly’s guidance to pursue liberalization in step with national and regional realities.
Commitments to fair competition, principles of non-discrimination, transparency in slot allocation, and consumer protection also featured in the negotiations. By placing these priorities at the center of new agreements, it is anticipated that delegates will create a stronger foundation for innovation, consumer confidence, and balanced growth.
Ownership and control provisions evolved as well. By recognizing community of interest within regional groupings, States enabled new avenues for investment and partnership, all while upholding ICAO’s standards for safety and security.
The ICAN2025 event also allowed States to strengthen the trust and partnership that underpin international aviation and further encourage the identification of shared priorities and achievement of common goals. In this regard, registering agreements with ICAO and sharing essential data are vital elements to strengthen trust, identify shared priorities and reinforce a culture of transparency and accountability
Reflecting on the path ahead, ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar remarked that “ICAO will continue to lead efforts to advance the global air transport system through enhanced connectivity, resilience, and inclusion. The future of aviation will be shaped by your openness, innovation, and trust.”
Activities on the sidelines of ICAN 2025 contributed to overall momentum, as participants joined the African Civil Aviation Commission in celebrating the 26th anniversary of the Yamoussoukro Decision on 13 November. This provided an important platform for the Single African Air Transport Market, reducing route restrictions and expanding capacity, and intra-African air connectivity.
The success of ICAN 2025 has further set the stage for the Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference, which will be the international community’s forum for reshaping the economic regulation of air transport worldwide. Taking place at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal in November 2026, that conference will bring together governments, industry, and other key partners to address the most pressing strategic issues facing aviation, including sustainable growth, infrastructure financing, digital innovation, and policy frameworks that ensure No Country is Left Behind.
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Leading international civil aviation as a crucial driver of social and economic development, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is accelerating progress towards zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions in air transport for everyone, everywhere, in line with its Long-Term Strategic Plan for 2050. ICAO works with its 193 Member States and all air transport stakeholders to develop standards and policies for international civil aviation and undertakes planning and capacity building activities to support their implementation by Member States.
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