The Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti (second right), and Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker (fourth left), with other officials at the opening of the CAPA Conference at the Sheraton Hotel Doha ye
Qatar has turned blockade into an opportunity to innovate and diversify. Experts participating in the CAPA Qatar Aviation, Aeropolitical and Regulatory Summit said that the world admires resilience shown by Qatar and Qatar Airways.
The summit, held under the patronage of the Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, and in the presence of the President of Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority, Abdulla bin Nasser Turki Al Subaey, was attended by ambassadors, officials, and senior executives from the aviation industry, and is the first aeropolitical event of its kind to be held in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, delivered an inspiring keynote address on the first day of the conference in front of international delegates and decision-makers from across the aviation industry. Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways has demonstrated tremendous resilience in the face of the blockade, and our resilience as an airline is reflective of that of the State of Qatar as a whole. Rather than falling to our knees, we have transformed the blockade into an opportunity to innovate and diversify.”
“One of our key objectives is to ensure a regulatory environment that encourages investment and welcomes new entrants into the market. We strongly believe in the vital role that liberalised aviation plays in connecting people and fostering economic prosperity,” he added.
He said: “While my country may be small in size, we are big in ambition. This is why we have set ourselves the goal of becoming the first country in the Gulf region to achieve a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement with the European Union. We expect that this agreement will demonstrate to the world that through positive engagement, we can build trust among nations, overcoming the fear of competition and embracing the benefits of liberalisation.”
“Liberalisation facilitates open and fair competition, enabling our industry to innovate and prosper despite structural and geopolitical challenges. While receding back to old protectionist approaches may be a normal reaction to the fear of competition, it will only result in compounding the challenges our industry faces,” he added.
CAPA – Centre for Aviation Executive Chairman, Peter Harbison, said: “This is an extremely important time in the evolution of aviation regulation. As the world seemingly drifts towards greater conflict in trade internationally, and pressures grow on the airline industry to become more restrictive in terms of market access, it is important to establish a reference point to address future directions.”
“The opportunity provided with this high-level group of experts in Doha is extremely timely, and we look forward to many valuable discussions over the next two days. We are grateful to the Qatari government and to Qatar Airways for this opportunity to bring together such a distinguished group of experts.”
European Commission Director General Mobility and Transport, Henrik Hololei said that Qatar is powerful example for aviation as a driver of transformation of entire economy.
“The blockade of Qatar and blockade of transit route was unthinkable to most us. This was 19 months ago and unfortunately nothing much as change. The only thing is that Qatar has shown its resilience which we all admire,”
“It is essential to defend the integrity of Chicago convention to ensure the international framework for civil aviation is respected and that safety of flights is never put into question. We also can not tolerate using civil aviation for striving regional and political aims, this is and remains Europe’s position,” said Hololei.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac said, “Aviation is a global industry. This year it will safely meet the transport needs of 4.6 billion travelers. It will power the global economy by transporting 66 million tonnes of cargo, the value of which accounts for a third of global trade,”.
The industry’s footprint extends to every corner of the earth. Never before have we been so connected to each other. And as the density of global connectivity grows each year, the world becomes more prosperous, he added.
The two-day CAPA Summit features more than 30 expert speakers from across the airline, legal and government sectors.
