ASTANA – Kazakhstan will host ICAO Aviation Security Week for the first time on Oct. 20-22, bringing aviation regulators, industry leaders and security experts to the capital to address emerging threats and strengthen international cooperation. Supported by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the event will focus on the theme Safe Skies in a Complex World: Enhancing Aviation Security for All.
ICAO Council President Toshiyuki Onuma, ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar and senior representatives of foreign states and international organizations are expected to attend, the Civil Aviation Committee reported. Kazakhstan reports 95.7% compliance with international aviation security standards, placing it among the world’s top 20 countries and making it a regional leader in Central Asia.
Security as a foundation for aviation growth The forum comes as Kazakhstan seeks to strengthen its position as a Central Asian aviation hub, with safety and regulatory reliability increasingly viewed as essential to competitiveness. “The long-term sustainability of a hub depends on trust in the system: trust in safety, regulation and predictable rules,” Civil Aviation Committee Chair Saltanat Tompiyeva said in an interview with The Astana Times.
Tompiyeva, who has worked in civil aviation since 1998 and was appointed an ICAO Global Ambassador earlier this year, identified Kazakhstan’s strong aviation security and safety record as a key competitive advantage. International assessments also show 82% effectiveness of aviation safety oversight.
The aviation security environment is changing rapidly, with new risks linked to artificial intelligence, cyberattacks, unmanned aircraft, critical infrastructure and geopolitical instability. Aviation Security Week will address risk management, new technologies, workforce development and stronger information-sharing mechanisms, including approaches to aviation risk assessment in conflict situations.
Discussions will be held within the framework of ICAO initiatives such as the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) and the Universal Security Audit Program – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA). The Astana forum will also contribute to preparations for the Third High-Level Conference on Aviation Security (HLCAS/3) in 2027.
For Kazakhstan, hosting the global forum marks a step from regional cooperation toward a stronger role in international aviation security dialogue, supporting the country’s wider ambition to develop as a regional aviation hub.