Aviation leaders strengthen support for ICAO’s global air transport plan

Aviation leaders strengthen support for ICAO’s global air transport plan

ICAO’s 2050 Vision informs priorities for Europe, Central Asia, the North Atlantic, and North Africa

In line with ICAO’s strategic plan to offer air transport for all by 2050, with zero fatalities and net zero carbon emissions, Directors General of Civil Aviation have strengthened their support for ICAO’s leadership of civil aviation worldwide. 

This was the key outcome of a recent meeting in Puglia, Italy, where ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar successfully advocated for the plan and the activities and programmes that are driving steady progress towards its objectives. 

Attended by leaders from Europe, Central Asia, the North Atlantic, and North Africa, the three-day talks were convened by ICAO European and North Atlantic Regional Director Nicolas Rallo. The discussions were chaired by Ana Vieira da Mata, President of ANAC Portugal and concluded on 11 June 2026. They were hosted by Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, with support from Aeroporti di Puglia. 

Several priorities emerged in support of ICAO’s 2050 vision.

Participants agreed to intensify investment in training and workforce planning, crisis preparedness and response, and broader institutional capacity to strengthen the aviation sector. They shared perspectives on emerging entrants and new technologies, including unmanned aircraft systems and space transport operations, and also considered how to improve accessibility and implementation support through the "No Country Left Behind" initiative. 

In relation to aviation’s zero fatality goals, delegates reviewed and supported collaborative programmes such as ICAO’s Country Strategic Plan of Action  (COSPA) pilot, and discussed ways to enhance support for aircraft accident victims and their families. 

They also reaffirmed their commitment to sustainability by advancing initiatives and accelerating the implementation of ICAO’s Aspirational Goals aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Looking forward, the Secretary General highlighted the importance of States’ preparations for ICAO’s upcoming Worldwide Air Transport Conference in November. Held approximately only once every decade, these conferences set the global policy agenda for the economic regulation of international aviation. The upcoming seventh edition therefore represents a crucially important opportunity for States to ensure that the global economic framework supports their ambitions for the safe, secure, and sustainable development for air transport.

11 June 2026