Kazakhstan has reached a major milestone in civil aviation, entering the world’s top 20 countries for aviation security performance, DKNews.kz reports.
The announcement came during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium 2026, where Kazakhstan’s delegation held high-level talks with senior officials of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
High-level meeting with ICAO leadership
On the sidelines of the forum, Chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee Saltanat Tompiyeva met with ICAO Council President Toshiyuki Onuma.
The meeting was also attended by senior ICAO officials and Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative to ICAO.
During the talks, Kazakhstan’s delegation congratulated Toshiyuki Onuma on his election.
“I have always highly appreciated your country’s proactive stance and its meaningful contribution to ICAO’s work. Not only I, but everyone clearly recognizes your strong engagement and commitment to the Organization’s principles. It is essential for me to better understand what the Organization can do for its Member States and what their actual support needs are. From this perspective, your approach sends a very positive signal,” said T. Onuma.
Rapid progress in aviation sector
ICAO representatives highlighted Kazakhstan’s transformation in recent years.
“We see a State that exemplifies a model of strategy and partnership — one that once benefited from ICAO support and is now actively supporting other countries by sharing knowledge and practical experience. For this, we are truly grateful.”
Kazakhstan also presented updated sector indicators.
“The aviation security implementation rate has increased from 62% to 95.7%, allowing Kazakhstan to enter the world’s top 20. In 2025, passenger traffic grew by 80% compared to the pre-pandemic period. In terms of flight safety oversight, Kazakhstan’s indicator improved from 47% in 2009 to 82% in 2025. This 35-point increase exceeds both the global average (69.3%) and the European average (76%).”
Key achievements highlighted
According to officials, Kazakhstan has made progress across several strategic areas:
- aviation security standards increased to 95.7%
- passenger traffic rose 80% versus pre-pandemic levels
- flight safety oversight reached 82%
- performance surpassed global and European averages
- stronger international engagement within ICAO
These indicators suggest Kazakhstan is becoming one of the fastest-improving aviation markets in Eurasia.
Bid for stronger global role
An important milestone was Kazakhstan’s ratification of amendments to Articles 50(a) and 56 of the Chicago Convention.
This move allows Kazakhstan to nominate its candidacy for the ICAO Council at the upcoming Extraordinary Session of the ICAO Assembly.
It also supports expansion of ICAO governing bodies and gives greater voice to developing and landlocked countries.
Kazakhstan is the largest of the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries, whose combined population exceeds 500 million people.
New training center and infrastructure upgrades
Kazakhstan also informed ICAO leadership about future modernization plans.
Among them:
- creation of an independent transport accident investigation body
- opening of a new aviation training center in Astana
- implementation of a large-scale airport and aviation infrastructure upgrade program
These steps are designed to improve long-term competitiveness and safety standards.
ICAO Security Week to be hosted in Kazakhstan
At the end of the meeting, ICAO leadership was invited to Kazakhstan for ICAO Security Week 2026, scheduled for October 20–22.
Officials said the event will become:
- the first major international ICAO event hosted in Kazakhstan
- one of the region’s largest aviation security forums
This signals growing trust in Kazakhstan as a regional aviation platform.
Broad international outreach
During the forum, Kazakhstan also held bilateral meetings with aviation officials from:
- Canada
- France
- Denmark
- Singapore
- Indonesia
- India
- Angola
- Nigeria
- several African and Latin American aviation organizations
Both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation, exchanging best practices and launching joint initiatives.
Why this matters
Kazakhstan’s entry into the global top 20 for aviation security is more than a ranking milestone.
It means:
- stronger confidence for international airlines
- safer and more reliable air travel
- higher investment attractiveness in transport sector
- better connectivity between Asia and Europe
- growing influence in global aviation governance
As air traffic in Central Asia expands, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as one of the region’s leading aviation hubs.
