Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), who arrived in Astana to attend Aviation Security Week 2026. This marks the first official visit by an ICAO Secretary General to Central Asia.

The parties discussed the further strengthening of cooperation between Kazakhstan and ICAO, with a focus on the large-scale reforms underway in the country to ensure sustainable progress across all priority economic sectors.

Olzhas Bektenov noted that Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays special attention to developing Kazakhstan’s transport and logistics potential, establishing aviation hubs, and enhancing the country's transit role. Partnership with ICAO is of strategic importance to Kazakhstan's aviation sector.

Juan Carlos Salazar commended the country's achievements in aviation security. Kazakhstan ranks among the top 20 nations globally under ICAO's aviation security compliance ratings, achieving a score of 95.7%. The ICAO Secretary General emphasized that Kazakhstan is making crucial decisions to develop and modernize its airport and air navigation infrastructure, while domestic airlines continue to upgrade their fleets and expand their international route networks.

The meeting participants highlighted the positive dynamics in the development of Kazakhstan’s civil aviation. Over the past five years, the gross output of the aviation sector has grown 6.5 times, reaching $2.9 billion. By the end of 2025, airport passenger traffic reached 31.8 million people, and the international route network expanded to 161 destinations.

These results were made possible through the consistent implementation of international standards and the high professionalism of Kazakhstani specialists. To further unlock the industry's potential, the meeting stressed the importance of the Civil Aviation Master Plan through 2050 (CAMP-2050), which is currently under development. The document will define strategic priorities for modernizing the sector, developing aviation hubs, and boosting Kazakhstan’s international competitiveness.

Following the meeting, Olzhas Bektenov and Juan Carlos Salazar reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation and joining forces between Kazakhstan and ICAO to further enhance security and promote the sustainable development of civil aviation.