The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), will towards the end of November, organize it annual World Aviation Forum (WAF), which will be hosted by Nigeria in Abuja.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Ministry of Aviation said President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to flag off the conference.
The statement noted that the move by Buhari to flag off the forum was to emphasize the importance attached to the consideration of Nigeria to becoming the first country to host the ICAO event.
This will be the first time ICAO forum is being hosted outside the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
Whereas industry analysts say the hosting will among other thing being international aviation investors to Nigeria and avail them the opportunity to see some of the airports listed for concessioning, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the hosting of the forum by Nigeria came so soon after the country hosted the ICAO symposium on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.
He also noted that the hosting right was an indication of the confidence the government had elicited within the sector and an endorsement by the world body of its reform programmes for the nation’s aviation industry.
According to the statement, “The third ICAO World Aviation Forum which is intended to explore the benefits of the aviation sector to social, economic development and prosperity of member states, is aimed at top-ranking government officials in charge of aviation, transport and infrastructure, finance, economy and tourism, as well as key industry and financial partners.
“The forum is also expected to discuss, identify needs, and facilitate the funding and financing required to accelerate the implementation of international civil aviation standards and policies, as well as global plans for aviation, in support of the ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative.”
