ICAO Secretary General Visits AIFC to Drive Sustainable Aviation and Partnerships
On 22 October, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC, the Centre) had the honor of welcoming Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The important visit focused on a shared global mission: achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the aviation industry by 2050, with a special focus on the role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The high-level gathering brought together key figures from the aviation and finance sectors to discuss practical green initiatives. Mr. Salazar was joined by Mr. Nicolas Rallo, the ICAO EURNAT Regional Director and Ms. Michele Merkle Director, Air Navigation Bureau at ICAO.
The delegation from Kazakhstan was well-represented by Mr. Talgat Lastayev, Vice Minister of Transport, and Ms. Saltanat Tompiyeva, Chairperson of the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC), and Mr. Timur Tlegenov, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan in ICAO. They were also joined by dedicated colleagues from the Ministry of Transport, the CAC, and the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK).
Alongside these government actions, a major theme of the discussions was the vital role that financial institutions play in reducing carbon emissions in air travel. The transition to greener aviation requires large-scale funding, and ICAO clearly sees the AIFC as an important financial enabler in this effort. The AIFC is well-positioned to help investors with green aviation projects.
To showcase its readiness, the AIFC highlighted key ecosystem developments and advancements in aviation leasing through the AIFC platform and its support for investment projects focused on airports and logistical trade centers. The AIFC also emphasized its strong commitment to supporting SAF projects and presented a dedicated carbon platform to support CORSIA. Finally, the AIFC shared with progress in digitalization, the transition to AI, and new innovations.
Drawing inspiration from the ICAO Finvest program, the AIFC looks forward to working closely with ICAO to bring these shared goals to life. AIFC aspires to be a strong, reliable enabler in supporting new SAF projects. By working together, aviation authorities and financial centers can unlock the investments needed to make sustainable flying the global standard.
This visit marks a strong step forward in the partnership between ICAO and Kazakhstan, uniting aviation goals with financial tools to secure a cleaner future for the industry.
Reference:
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) is an independent jurisdiction where investors and business meet emerging opportunities of Kazakhstan and Central Asia in a transparent and sustainable environment backed by the principles of English Common Law. www.aifc.kz
AIFC Press Office,
Ainur Issabayeva, press secretary
E-mail: [email protected]
