An ICAO event resulted in closer collaboration on sustainability, resilience, and safety among European, Central Asian, and North African Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) concluded on 23 April in Toulouse, France. The meeting, convened by ICAO’s European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Office in Paris, provided a powerful platform for advocacy in support of air transport’s crucial role as a catalyst for sustainable development.
Setting the scene
Under the theme "Joining forces and building bridges", DGCAs from 38 States, along with high-level representatives from 10 international and regional organizations and industry partners, gathered to support the implementation of ICAO provisions, policies and programmes.
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar addressed the 97 participants, outlining ICAO's current priorities within its Strategic Objectives, with a focus on aviation decarbonization and the accelerating pace of innovation. He also highlighted ICAO’s ongoing transformation into a modern, digital, adaptive, and collaborative organization: “ICAO must embrace innovation, adapt to new challenges, and foster greater collaboration to continue leading the way in shaping a safe, secure, and sustainable future for international civil aviation.”Mr. Salazar also highlighted the significance of ICAO's 80th anniversary, which the organization is celebrating this year.
Mr. Nicolas Rallo, the Director of ICAO’s Paris Office, underscored the key importance of cooperation in his opening remarks: “Most of the challenges faced by civil aviation are global in nature, and therefore call for a global and well-coordinated response. Let us therefore continue to join efforts and build bridges within and beyond our aviation ecosystem to achieve the widest possible cooperation, and the highest level of benefits for our States, our aviation industry and our societies.”
Elections and Discussions
Mr. David Benito Astudillo, the DGCA of Spain, was elected as the EUR/NAT DGCA Chairperson. Additionally, Ms. Mirjana Čizmarov and Mr. Tahir Nazarov, DGCAs of Serbia and Uzbekistan respectively, were elected as Vice-Chairpersons, bringing their extensive experience and expertise to their new roles.
Engaging discussions were held around six topics: Aviation Training and the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP); Sustainability; Resilience; Cooperation for Implementation Support in Safety; Gender Equality; and the Ratification of International Air Law Treaties.
The exchanges highlighted the crucial importance of civil aviation for States’ socio-economic development and underscored the commitment of States and Organizations to work collaboratively across ICAO’s key objectives.
The meeting was hosted by the École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC), the largest aviation academy in Europe and a corporate partner of ICAO’s TRAINAIR PLUS Programme.
The 2025 EUR/NAT DGCA Meeting is tentatively planned to take place in Paris during the week of the Paris Air Show (16-22 June 2025).
