The Airports Council International (ACI) has announced that the venue for its ACI Asia-Pacific world annual general assembly next year will be the Saudi capital Riyadh. It is set to be organised by Riyadh Airports Company from May 21 to 23.
The announcement was made at the closing and handover ceremony of 33rd ACI EUROPE/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA) held this year in Barcelona, Spain.
The event Riyadh Airports Company was announced as host of the ACI Asia-Pacific / ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA). The event attracted over 800 delegates including global and regional airport CEOs, regulators, and dignitaries.
The trade association of the world’s airports, ACI is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific, ACI Europe, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America.
In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI said it makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable.
As of January 2023, ACI serves 712 members, operating 1,925 airports in 171 countries.
ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with ACI Asia-Pacific and Riyadh Airports Company to host WAGA 2024, the most important global gathering of airport leaders.”
“The Asia Pacific region is home to the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and to leading airports that are raising the bar on all fronts for travelers and communities,” stated de Oliveira.
“As we build a sustainable and resilient aviation ecosystem, our continued engagement with the global airport community and its relevant stakeholders remains the deciding factor in reaching our industry global targets,” he added.
ACI Asia-Pacific Director General Stefano Baronci commended Riyadh on being selected as the venue for next year’s WAGA.
“This is a significant meeting of global aviation leaders, and a great forum to debate current issues and possibilities in the aviation sector, as well as exploring innovative strategies for long-term success. We are excited to welcome aviation leaders from all over the world and make it a memorable experience for all,” he stated.
Musad Aldaood, CEO of Riyadh Airports Company, said: “It is a proud moment for us to announce hosting the WAGA 2024 in Riyadh. Enthusiastically, we are excited to welcome aviation leaders from across the globe to ensure a memorable experience for all.”
“Furthermore, the important convergence of global aviation authorities is a prime venue to address current challenges and explore opportunities in the aviation sector, as well as to investigate forward-thinking and explore innovative strategies for long-term success,” he added.
At the Barcelona event, ACI members agreed on key resolutions on cleaner energy transition, thus reflecting the priorities for airports in building a sustainable aviation ecosystem.
Recognizing the need for collective action to deliver the long-term goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the Resolution “Leading through cleaner energy transition and robust ESG practices,” called upon the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and governments to work with all financial institutions to facilitate access to green finance for aviation and to stimulate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development.
The ACI resolution urged governments to provide the necessary technical and economic support and required regulatory framework for supporting the airport sector energy transition.
It urged airports to consider adopting robust Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices according to their specific circumstances as well as engage with ACI in developing the Airport ESG Global Framework, and participate in global efforts to accelerate the deployment of SAF.
Recognizing that the aviation industry relies on interconnected systems and advanced technologies and that they may be vulnerable to increasing cyber threats, the Resolution affirmed airport’s commitment to addressing the evolving cyber threats in aviation.
Lauding the concrete actions already taken by airports, the ACI called upon all aviation stakeholders to strengthen their awareness and mitigation measures in this area.
The Resolution urged governments, international organizations, and relevant stakeholders to leverage the existing international standards and frameworks on information security and cybersecurity in the development of aviation cybersecurity frameworks, standards, and guidelines.
It also urged governments to implement the necessary measures to support the development of a skilled aviation cybersecurity workforce.
