AESA and DGAC bring together the national aviation sector to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of OACI

 

• The headquarters of the Agency has been a meeting place for the main representatives of the Spanish aeronautical industry to review the achievements of the ICAO and discuss the future challenges of international civil aviation.

• The event was chaired by Benito Núñez, Secretary-General for Air and Maritime Transport; David Benito, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGAC); and Montserrat Mestres, Director of AESA..

• Spain, as a founding member of ICAO, has established itself as an international benchmark in safety, sustainability and technical cooperation. 

 

Madrid, 13 December 2024 (AESA)

The State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), in collaboration with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), has commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with a meeting at its headquarters in which it has brought together the representatives of the main civil aviation organizations..

Montserrat Mestres, director of AESA, highlighted at the opening of the event the eight decades of work of this organization to become «a beacon of international cooperation, promoting understanding between nations and connecting the world through the sky».

 

Along with it, the day was chaired by Benito Núñez, Secretary General of Air and Maritime Transport, and David Benito, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), who highlighted Spain's commitment to maintain its representation in OACI and ensure its success as a global connection platform to continue promoting safe, efficient and environmentally friendly air transport. 

In addition, the meeting had international representation from the OACI itself, highlighting Nicolás Rallo, director of the EUR-NAT Regional Office in Paris, and Ángel Luis Arias, permanent representative of Spain on the OACI Council.

 

This day, framed in the commemorative events organized by the OACI under the slogan "Safe skies. Sustainable future: together for the next 80 years”, has focused on the contribution of this organisation to the development and promotion of a global, safe, efficient and sustainable civil aviation.

 

Future challenges: Security and Sustainability

With the aim of outlining a common scenario to identify future challenges, representatives of the main Spanish civil aviation organizations have participated in two round tables to identify and analyze the present and future of the sector.

The first, focused on the concept of Security, has addressed the role of new technologies as an engine of transformation, addressing key aspects such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, hand in hand with representatives of the Official College of Commercial Aviation Pilots (COPAC), IATA, the Official College of Aeronautical Engineers of Spain (COIAE), APROCTA and Indra.

On the other hand, a second panel focused on Sustainability and Mobility has been developed, where participants have debated about the reduction of emissions and sustainable fuels, the optimization of routes and airspace efficiency, the integration of UAS or the resilience of aviation, among other topics. This table was attended by the Alliance for the Sustainability of Air Transport (AST), the Airline Association (ALA), ENAIRE, CATEC, Aena and Airbus.

 

Spain's commitment to OACI

Aviation is a strategic sector for our country for its contribution to territorial connection, the economy and social development. Therefore, Spain's participation in OACI is essential to further promote national interests, give visibility to the Spanish aeronautical industry and contribute to the transformation and modernisation of international civil aviation.

With this commemoration, the commitment of AESA and, therefore, of the Spanish aeronautical industry, with the OACI is reaffirmed. Aligning the values between the two organisations - innovation, excellence, integrity and commitment - is key to moving towards a more connected, efficient and responsible future.

 

About AESA

AESA is the State body, attached to the State Secretariat for Transport of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, which ensures that civil aviation rules are complied with in all aeronautical activity in Spain..

The Agency has the missions of Supervision, Inspection and Management of Air Transport, Air Navigation and Airport Security. It assesses risks to transport safety and has the power to impose penalties for infringements of civil aviation rules.