Guyana hosts global aviation safety forum and pursues regional partnerships

Guyana is hosting the third Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOOs) and Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations (RAIOs) conference in Georgetown. Organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the summit brings together delegates from nearly 60 countries to harmonize regulatory flight-safety mechanisms and technical expertise.

During the opening, President Irfaan Ali emphasized the need for digital advancement, specifically calling for an artificial intelligence roadmap to manage airspace tracking and automated safety inspections. He also highlighted Guyana’s readiness to host an internationally accredited aviation educational institution and to serve as a regional aviation hub at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Following the global forum, CARICOM ministers will convene for a high-level symposium to adopt the Georgetown Declaration, aimed at strengthening regional aviation safety oversight through the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS).

In a separate bilateral development, the governments of Guyana and the Dominican Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote sustainable aviation and decarbonization. The agreement focuses on the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and aligns with ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to support net-zero emissions goals by 2050.