ICAO DGCA-MID/8: Focus on Regional Safety as Airport Traffic Hits 468m

From 26–28 October 2026, the ICAO 8th Meeting of Civil Aviation Directors General (DGCA-MID/8) took place in Doha, Qatar. Saudi’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej emphasised the necessity of regional cooperation to safeguard the continuity of air transport and effectively overcome emerging sector challenges. 

Discussions focused on regional security and rapid growth. Airports Council International – ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East stressed that airports must remain protected non-military infrastructure.

Traffic Surges 6.5% as Drone Risks Multiply

Middle Eastern airports processed 468 million passengers in 2025 (up 6.5% YoY). However, early 2026 brought operational challenges from growing commercial and security-related drone activity.

National Updates: Safety, Capacity, and Tech

Senior delegates from across the region presented operational plans:

  • Qatar: The host nation, supported measures to handle drone threats and improve airport security.
  • Libya: Outlined its rehabilitation of the Tripoli FIR, focusing on restoring flight corridors and updating air traffic management systems. However, despite ICAO lifting restrictions, international regulators like EASA still advise caution below FL320.
  • Jordan: Signed an agreement with Libya to open direct commercial flights between Amman and Misrata.
  • Egypt: Held talks with Jordan to increase flight capacity on the Amman–Cairo route.
  • Sudan: Detailed the post-conflict restoration of basic radar and airfield security to safely restart humanitarian relief and commercial flights.
  • Palestine: Presented a plan to bring national aviation laws and institutional capacity up to ICAO standards.
  • Oman: Highlighted the Ajwaa Programme to manage growing overflight traffic through advanced Air Traffic Flow Management and high-altitude sector restructuring.
  • Saudi Arabia: GACA promoted regional safety oversight by expanding the MENA RSOO and ICAO “No Country Left Behind” initiatives.
  • Somalia: Offered its upgraded airspace as an alternate flight path for regional carriers navigating troubled geopolitical choke points.
  • Kuwait: Delivered an official national civil aviation update to the assembly, signalling continued alignment with regional structural frameworks.
  • Syria: Presented a dedicated national aviation update, maintaining active operational engagement with regional civil aviation counterparts.
  • Bahrain: Supported regional efforts on airspace modernisation and standard rules.
  • Iraq: Participated in efforts to harmonise regional regulations and security standards.

MENA aviation continues to prove that operational agility, unified safety oversight, and multilateral infrastructure modernisation remain our ultimate competitive advantage.

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