Saudi Aviation Strategy Enhances Global Connectivity, Official States
Saudi Arabia's Transport and Logistics Minister, Saleh Al-Jasser, recently emphasized the kingdom's improved worldwide flight connections due to a national aviation strategy. At the International Conference on Air Services Negotiations in Riyadh, Al-Jasser remarked on Saudi Arabia's aspirations to rapidly develop its air transport industry, including the expansion of Saudi airports' flight networks.
During an ICAN 2023 session on the economic benefits of air transport, Al-Jasser pointed to ongoing improvements in airport infrastructure, especially the creation of new airports like King Salman Airport in Riyadh and the transformation of Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport into a major hub. The minister aims to increase the transport and logistics sector's GDP contribution to 10 percent, with civil aviation playing a pivotal role.
At the event, global transport ministers, including Indonesia's Budi Karya Sumadi, Saint Lucia's Alva Romanus Baptiste, and Seychelles' Anthony Gerard D’Offay, discussed the importance of aviation in economic growth and connectivity.
The 15th ICAN conference, led by Al-Jasser, also included the participation of GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej and ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano. A significant agreement was signed with Sierra Leone to enhance air service cooperation, aligning with the Chicago Convention's goal of safe and efficient air travel.
This treaty marks a step in Saudi Arabia's aim to foster international partnerships and bilateral pacts, with ambitions to convert the nation into a global logistics hub, manage 330 million passengers yearly by 2030, and extend its global air network to 250 destinations. It also stresses mutual economic opportunities for national carriers and a modern approach to market access in aviation.