ICAO Member States Plan Sustainable Future for Global Air Cargo

Approximately 80 state representatives collaborated on enhancing air cargo operations, digital integration, and emissions reduction at the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) inaugural Global Air Cargo Summit, which concluded last week in Türkiye. The three-day event, held in Antalya, brought together over 600 participants. It was hosted by the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation, with MNG Airlines as the key sponsor.

The Summit offered a distinctive platform for collaborative discussions among stakeholders from the entire air cargo value chain, including regulators, airlines, airports, freight forwarders, customs authorities, and international organisations.

"Today, air cargo remains the top choice for the transport of high-value goods. While only half a % of international trade moves by air in volume, this represents over one-third of the total value of all shipped goods. Companies choose air transport when they need speed and reliability for their products," said ICAO Secretary General, Juan Carlos Salazar in his keynote address.

"We expect this trend to continue, with ICAO forecasts showing that air freight volumes could grow by 3.2% each year from 2024 to 2050. Meeting this growth will require updating our economic regulatory framework. We need to remove barriers that limit air cargo operators and restrict global trade," added Secretary General Salazar.

World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders underscored the importance of collaboration between aviation and customs authorities: "Security, resilience and efficiency of air cargo are, without question, essential to the global economy, and this will continue to be the case as trade volumes, consumer expectations and threats to the system grow."

The Summit featured comprehensive sessions covering essential topics, including market access liberalisation, e-commerce integration, infrastructure development, cargo release and clearance processes, automation, unmanned aircraft, dangerous goods safety, and sustainability.

Key themes emerging from the discussions included:

• The critical importance of digitalisation and innovation to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security across the supply chain

• The need for harmonised regulatory frameworks to align security requirements, customs procedures, and facilitation measures

• The imperative of sustainability, with strategies presented for reducing the industry's environmental impact while meeting growing demand

• The requirement for a robust safety culture throughout the air cargo supply chain, particularly for dangerous goods transport

• The potential of unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility to transform cargo delivery operations

Participants also examined the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, when air cargo served as a global lifeline for delivering essential medical supplies and vaccines.

A highlight of the Summit was a significant commitment from key sponsor MNG Airlines. During a special ceremony, MNG Airlines CEO, Ali Sedat Özkazanc, presented a formal pledge to ICAO, committing substantial financial support to key aviation initiatives. The pledge represents MNG Airlines' dedication to sustainable aviation, capacity development, and implementation support for resource-constrained States, aligning with ICAO's Strategic Objectives and its No Country Left Behind initiative. "This is more than a donation. This is a sign of our lasting commitment to ICAO's vision," CEO Özkazanç emphasised during a handover ceremony, demonstrating the air cargo industry's dedication to creating a more sustainable and inclusive aviation future.

In her closing remarks, ICAO Air Navigation Bureau Director Michele Merkle highlighted that "the pandemic taught us that air cargo is a lifeline during global crises, and beyond that, it is a fundamental enabler of economic development, trade facilitation, and social progress."

The Summit concluded with appeals for strengthening international collaboration to ensure that air cargo continues to propel global trade and economic development while advancing toward the industry's long-term environmental objectives.

The results of the Summit will guide State discussions at the forthcoming ICAO Assembly in Montréal this fall, where representatives from ICAO's 193 Member States will gather to determine the strategic direction for all facets of civil aviation.