Riyadh, September 19, 2023, Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), opened the ACI's first office in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region yesterday in Riyadh. Members of the ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East from 49 different nations, including numerous dignitaries and high-ranking officials, were present. During the opening ceremony, Eng. Al-Jasser remarked that this milestone was the logical conclusion of the Kingdom's rising profile in global aviation and air transport institutions.
The minister praised the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for their unwavering leadership and care of the transportation and logistics sectors.
He noted that the ACI office opening in Riyadh represents a continuation of the country's recent aviation triumphs.
To illustrate the Kingdom's central role and extensive efforts in supporting the aviation industry regionally and internationally, he cited the Kingdom's membership in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its presidency of the Aviation Security Committee within the ICAO.
The minister remarked that this further demonstrated the Kingdom's high status on the world stage.
According to him, the new office will help achieve the lofty goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy by increasing opportunities in the aviation sector and advancing the interests of member airports in the worldwide council.
The minister also noted that the inauguration is in line with the government's Aviation Strategy, which aims to increase air travel between countries, visit 250 new locations abroad, and carry 330 million people annually by the year 2030.
To better serve Asian airports, the Airports Council International (ACI) for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East was founded in 1991. As of 2006, the ACI Asia office (formerly known as the Pacific office) and the ACI Middle East office (previously known as the ACI Pacific office) are now one and the same.
Throughout Asia, Oceania, and Africa, it is responsible for 617 airports. Its current membership of 131 includes representatives from 49 countries.
