Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil Rui Costa inaugurated Monday the Saudi-Brazilian International Aviation Conference, hosted by the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), with a view to providing further trade and economic exchange between the two countries.
Attending the opening ceremony were President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, Saudi Ambassador to Brazil Dr. Faisal Ghulam, and several other senior officials and Chief Executives from the Kingdom and Latin American countries.
Themed ‘Moving Forward Together’, the conference took place in Rio de Janeiro, from October 2 to 4, 2023. The conference highlights investment opportunities in the aviation sector. A high-level delegation of experts and executives in aviation, airports, investment, industry, and private service sectors of aviation system, in the public and private sectors participated in the conference.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Al-Duailej said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia values relationships built on trust and hard work in the interest of one’s country, adding that, “despite the long distance between Saudi Arabia and Brazil, the two countries have a long history of cooperation and partnerships in various fields.”
By participating in the event, the Kingdom seeks to prove its global leadership in the field of aviation and its readiness to expand and strengthen cooperation with Brazil.
The conference aims to provide a platform for industry leaders to discuss opportunities available in the sector, especially promoting sustainability and innovation, improving traveler experience and discussing new partnerships between the public and private sectors. It also contributes to enhancing the Kingdom’s position and international pioneering role, and enables cooperation between countries to strengthen air travel services and agreements.
This partnership between the Kingdom and the Federative Republic of Brazil aims to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, which seeks to establish the Kingdom as a global aviation centre. Brazil will contribute to this partnership by providing its expertise in infrastructure projects and other areas of the aviation sector. It will also create an attractive environment for investors interested in the aviation industry. Additionally, Brazil's strategic location will enhance connectivity with Latin American countries.
The Saudi Aviation Strategy aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in building an attractive and stimulating environment for the aviation sector, and consolidating the Kingdom's position as a global hub linking the three continents of the world.
The President of GACA emphasized that the aviation sector in the Kingdom receives significant attention from the wise leadership, as it represents a promising pillar of economic diversification and development. The sector is currently undergoing numerous quality initiatives and major developments aimed at achieving significant advancements and expanding its economic and developmental contributions. The goal is to establish the Kingdom’s aviation sector as a leading force in the Middle East, with an annual passenger capacity of 330 million and connections to 250 destinations worldwide. Additionally, the cargo capacity is set to increase to 4.5 million tons by 2030.
In another development, the Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim signed in Lisbon Tuesday, on behalf of the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), an agreement on air transport services with the Portuguese Ministry of Infrastructure.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Saudi-Portuguese Joint Committee meetings, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The agreement aims to establish scheduled international air services that ensure the highest levels of aviation safety and security, promote trade exchange, and support economic growth in the two friendly countries.
