News

General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej emphasised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to regional and international initiatives in addressing the security challenges facing the civil aviation sector. He noted that the Saudi aviation system had attained a compliance rate of 94.4% in implementing aviation security standards, a testament to national efforts, as highlighted in the comprehensive aviation security audit report released by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), positioning the Kingdom among the world's foremost nations in this domain.

This was articulated in a speech by the GACA president at the ministerial meeting associated with the "ICAO Security Week 2024," which is currently taking place in the Sultanate of Oman from December 9 to 12, 2024. This event is organised in collaboration with the ICAO and involves the participation of leaders and heads of civil aviation organisations and entities globally.

Al-Duailej highlighted that the growing security challenges currently confronting the civil aviation sector are marked by complexity and diversity. These include cyber-attacks and the use of drones in actions that threaten security, along with risks stemming from modern technologies, such as cyber-attacks on aviation digital systems. He emphasised that these threats have emerged as a new danger that requires innovative strategies for effective management.

He outlined that the Kingdom's initiatives in civil aviation security focus on fundamental principles designed to improve security preparedness and guarantee the sector's safety at all levels. The GACA president highlighted that the Kingdom has focused significantly on cybersecurity given the current technological challenges, having developed specialised programs to safeguard digital systems, booking platforms, and aviation operations. This enhances the sector's capacity to combat cyber-attacks. He also noted that the Kingdom aims to cultivate exceptional human capabilities in this field by launching advanced training programs in collaboration with international organisations to qualify national personnel and improve their preparedness to handle various security scenarios.

"The Kingdom has played a crucial role in supporting regional and international initiatives focused on improving security in this essential sector. It has also been actively involved in developing joint security strategies with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to strengthen security coordination among nations, ensuring a prompt and effective response to security challenges," he said.

He stated that the Kingdom has played a crucial role in international initiatives spearheaded by the ICAO. It has played a significant role in shaping aviation security policies and executing programs designed to enhance global security standards. This includes hosting the permanent headquarters of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Middle East (ICAO CASP-MID) and supporting the ICAO through the "No Country Left Behind" (NCLB) initiative.

At the conclusion of his speech, the GACA president emphasised the significance of strengthening collaboration among all nations to stay updated on the swift advancements in security threat methods and to unite in creating innovative and effective solutions to tackle these challenges.