JEDDAH: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) opened the first Air Navigation Service Providers’ (ANSP) conference in the Middle East at the Jeddah Meridian yesterday morning.
The conference comes as the air transformational sector in the Middle Eastern region is experiencing growth and investment from Arab governments in new airport facilities and services despite a global economic slowdown in the air transport industry as a whole.
The ANSP conference discussed key topics such as safety, airspace planning and included new operational and technical initiatives. CANSO speakers stressed cooperation between service providers. CANSO Secretary-General Alexander ter Kuile explained that as growth and development in the aviation sector continued in the region, CANSO members would be ready to handle challenges in the future.
“CANSO and GACA have a common vision in regards to increasing cooperation in providing a safer and efficient aviation system. Our aim is not to profit from these operation but to invest in the foundation of these services to improve upon its activity in Saudi airspace and Saudi airports,” Mohammed Al Salmi vice president at the GACA said
CANSO members are responsible for supporting more than 80 percent of world air traffic, and through its workgroups, members share information and try to develop new policies, with the aim of improving navigation services on the ground and in the air.
