Oman
Receives “Council President Certificate” for Aviation Safety Leadership

Montreal,
24 Sep (ONA) — The Sultanate of Oman has
been awarded the ICAO Council President Certificate in recognition of its outstanding
achievements in setting a robust and effective aviation safety oversight system
and in elevating its compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices
(SARPs).

The
award was conferred during the opening ceremony of the 42nd Session of the ICAO
Assembly, held at the Organization’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada.

The
Sultanate of Oman recorded an unprecedented advance in global aviation safety
compliance, climbing to 5th place worldwide in 2025 from 133rd in 2020,
surpassing 127 States. At the regional level, Oman ranked 2nd in the Middle
East and 2nd among GCC countries, achieving an Effective Implementation (EI)
score of 95.95%.

This
result reflects performance across the eight critical elements of ICAO’s safety
oversight framework, encompassing all dimensions of aviation safety regulation
and monitoring.

This
remarkable advancement reflects the sustained efforts of Oman’s Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA), which has enacted the Civil Aviation Law and accompanying
guidance material, restructured the sector to align with ICAO requirements,
recruited specialized national and international expertise, and reinforced
regulatory frameworks. Complementary initiatives included issuing licenses and
certificates for flight crews and maintenance organizations, concluding
bilateral agreements with partner States, and implementing robust policies and
controls to safeguard airport security and ensure the safety of air transport
operations.

Eng.
Naif bin Ali Al Abri, President of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), stated: “Receiving
the ICAO Council President Certificate is a culmination of our collective
efforts and a clear vision to reinforce civil aviation safety and security. It
reflects our unwavering commitment to upholding the highest international
standards in aviation safety and security.”

He
added: “This recognition also demonstrates the international community’s
confidence in Oman’s readiness and its emergence as a distinguished regional
hub in this vital field.”

Al
Abri also emphasized that the CAA, in collaboration with its strategic
partners, will continue implementing ICAO’s recommendations and further
advancing the system in a sustainable manner, ensuring that this achievement is
maintained while contributing to ICAO’s global objectives of enhancing aviation
safety and security worldwide.

It
is worth noting that ICAO introduced the Council President Certificates as part
of its “No Country Left Behind” initiative, one of the Organization’s key
strategic priorities.

The
certificates are awarded based on the results of the Universal Safety Oversight
Audit Program, Continuous Monitoring Approach (USOAP-CMA), which evaluates
Member States’ compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices through
regular audits and safety data analysis, thereby supporting the global
enhancement of aviation safety.

—Ends/AG