ICAO praises Georgia’s vital role in maintaining global aviation connectivity, air traffic safety

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Saturday commended Georgia’s contribution to global aviation, stating that the country’s airspace has become an important transit corridor for maintaining international air connectivity amid changing regional flight routes and growing geopolitical challenges.

In the letter addressed to Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Nicolas Rallo, Director of ICAO’s European and North Atlantic Regional Office, highlighted Georgia’s role in ensuring the safety, sustainability and continuity of international air navigation.

“Today, Georgia’s airspace plays an important role in maintaining international air connectivity and ensuring the efficient functioning of the global aviation network”, he said.

According to the letter, the closure or limited availability of parts of the regional airspace has led to changes in flight routes across the Eurasian network, increasing the strategic importance of the South Caucasus, including Georgia, as an alternative transit corridor.

The letter noted that international aviation was currently operating in a particularly complex environment, shaped by increasing air traffic, geopolitical tensions and ongoing military conflicts.

“The efforts undertaken by Georgia aimed at minimising air traffic disruptions, meeting growing demand and maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety are highly valued in the ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) region. These efforts reflect Georgia’s firm commitment to international cooperation and to the common goal of ensuring the safe and efficient functioning of the international air transport system”, the ICAO letter said.

Rallo also praised the work of Georgia’s air navigation service provider, Sakaeronavigatsia LLC, highlighting its operational response, close coordination with neighbouring countries' aviation authorities, efficient management of high-density air traffic, and proactive cooperation with airlines, which has contributed to the continuity of flights and the maintenance of the sustainability of the global aviation supply chain.