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Executive Vice President for Air Transport and International Cooperation at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Ali bin Mohammed Rajab has highlighted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's initiatives and vision to establish itself as a central hub for international flights.

Rajab made his remarks during a panel discussion titled "Benefits and Challenges of Liberalizing International Air Transport," which was part of the International Civil Aviation Negotiation Event (ICAN 2024) held in Malaysia between October 21 and 25.

Rajab noted that the Kingdom has achieved unprecedented milestones, with 87% of the initiatives under the Saudi Vision 2030 realized. These initiatives aim to position the Kingdom as a key international flight hub, with the value of investment opportunities in the aviation sector reaching up to $100 billion. They leverage private sector resources and expertise in alignment with the National Aviation Strategy.

He added that the sector saw an unprecedented 26% increase in passenger numbers in 2023, reaching 122 million, driven by the implementation of new economic regulations that enhance competition, ensure transparency, and attract investment. The GACA official also pointed out that the National Aviation Strategy aims to boost air cargo capacity from the current 0.8 million tons to 4.5 million tons by 2030.

ICAN 2023, held in Riyadh from December 3 to 7, 2023, witnessed the signing of 521 agreements, memoranda of understanding, and records of discussions, along with 579 bilateral meetings and negotiations on air transport services. Over 100 countries, international organizations, and over 700 civil aviation experts and specialists attended the event.

ICAN 2024 serves as a unique platform for global aviation leaders to conduct bilateral, regional, or multilateral negotiations on air transport services, where it attracted over 700 delegates and leaders from the global civil aviation sector on its opening day.