ICAO holds air traffic management coordination meeting in Muscat

MUSCAT, Feb 1 (KUNA) -- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Sunday launched a coordination meeting on air traffic management in Muscat, aiming to discuss global developments and air traffic challenges in the Middle East.
Hosted by the Oman Civil Aviation Authority over five days, the meeting includes a workshop on crisis management in the Middle East, with participation from representatives of 19 countries, international organizations, airlines, and 90 experts in the aviation field.
According to the authority, the meeting will address challenges affecting the smooth flow of air traffic in the Middle East and at contact points with neighboring regions, in addition to exploring ways to improve airspace management and strengthen regional coordination among states.
The agenda includes bilateral and multilateral sessions to present potential improvements for airspace management, discuss cross-border emergency arrangements, and organize working groups with airspace users to enhance air traffic management mechanisms and improve service delivery.
The crisis management workshop will take place on Wednesday and Thursday following the main meeting. It will review ICAO's emergency planning requirements and objectives, the working of the organization's Crisis Coordination Team, and the exchange of expertise between ICAO regions, particularly Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
The workshop will also focus on ICAO's new emergency management framework for air traffic management, cross-border coordination, outcomes of the coordination meeting, draft emergency frameworks for the Middle East region, and predefined emergency event arrangements.
Oman's Director General of Air Navigation, Saleh Al-Harthi, said the meeting and workshop provide key platforms to exchange technical expertise, review specialized knowledge, and explore the latest international initiatives and experiences in emergency planning and air traffic management, contributing to safer, more efficient, and smoother air traffic.
Al-Harthi stressed Oman's growing role as an active regional hub in civil aviation and its commitment to supporting ICAO's efforts and enhancing regional and international cooperation to improve safety and operational efficiency in air traffic management across the region.
Participants include ICAO's Middle East and Asia-Pacific regional offices, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL). (end) aa