The first day of the 4th Global Symposium on Implementation Support 2025 and the inaugural Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace, which kicked off yesterday in Abu Dhabi with significant ministerial and international participation from over 1,500 delegates from 193 countries, featured 15 panel discussions that focused on the future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the Middle East and North Africa. These discussions were led by a distinguished group of global experts and decision-makers.
H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The first day of the meetings and sessions of these two international events, namely the ICAO 4th Global Implementation Support Symposium and the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace hosted in the UAE, witnessed significant momentum with fruitful discussions and active participation from experts and decision-makers from around the world. Several challenges were raised, along with the discussion of new opportunities to support global efforts toward a more sustainable aviation system.”
Al Suwaidi added: “The UAE is fully committed to enhancing the sustainability of the aviation sector. We adopted this approach over 15 years ago when the country announced its support for the first global decision on climate change in the aviation sector in 2010. Since then, we have continued to take steady steps towards a more sustainable future for aviation through cooperation with countries and global companies. We launched a national policy and joined the CORSIA plan for carbon offsetting by national carriers, along with many other serious steps. By 2023, we launched the National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap, setting ambitious targets to enhance national capabilities and reach 700 million litters of sustainable fuel production annually by 2030.”
He continued: “Today, we are proud of the UAE’s initiative to launch the first-ever Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace in the Middle East, which is a significant step toward promoting alternative fuel production solutions and creating a supportive environment to achieve the global goals of reducing aviation emissions. Through these initiatives, we aim to be at the forefront of countries leading the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the benefit of future generations.”
The agenda for the first day began with a ministerial session at the level of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), attended by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the GCAA, H.E. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of ICAO, and H.E. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General of ICAO, along with ministers and directors-general of aviation authorities from ICAO member states.
The session addressed three main topics: the impact of aviation on economic and social goals, ways to achieve a balance between growth and sustainability in aviation, and enhancing implementation support for countries with limited resources through the ‘No Country Left Behind’ initiative.
Towards Global Regulation and Sustainable Supply
On the other hand, the morning sessions held under the umbrella of the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace, in collaboration with the “Sustainable Aviation Future Congress” of the Sustainable Aviation Future Foundation, addressed critical topics through two main tracks. The first track focused on regulating global sustainable fuel projects, policies, and legislation associated with them, as well as supply chain challenges to meet the growing demand from the perspectives of airlines and producers.
The discussions also covered financing sustainable fuel projects and the necessary infrastructure to scale up production, as well as risk mitigation mechanisms related to fuel purchase agreements. The role of innovation in developing aviation runways compatible with sustainable fuel was also discussed, along with global sustainability standards and the availability of raw materials.
Regional and Global Interaction: Opportunities for the Middle East and North Africa
The second track focused on regional opportunities for cost-effective expansion of sustainable fuel production, including case studies on global investments in the region. It highlighted the Middle East and North Africa’s position as a global hub for sustainable fuel and how to achieve this goal. Discussions also covered opportunities for airports to transition into sustainable energy centers supporting net-zero emissions goals.
The 4th Global Symposium on Implementation Support and the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace will continue its activities until February 12, 2025, furthering the global dialogue on the future of sustainable aviation and the role of modern technologies in supporting the green transition in the sector.