Nearly 60 Countries Converge on Guyana for Global Aviation Safety Forum

Aviation regulators, accident investigators and industry leaders from nearly 60 countries will converge in Georgetown Tuesday as Guyana hosts a major international forum focused on strengthening aviation safety through regional cooperation, shared expertise and coordinated oversight.

The ICAO/EASA Third Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety will take place over two days at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), marking the first global aviation event of its kind to be hosted in Guyana.

President Irfaan Ali will deliver the keynote address when the forum opens Tuesday.

The event is jointly organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and hosted by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) under the theme “Optimising Resources through Coordination and Cooperation.”

Regional Cooperation at the Centre of Forum

The gathering comes as aviation authorities confront the challenge of maintaining effective safety systems while ensuring that smaller states can access specialised technical expertise, trained personnel and costly resources.

Participants will examine how countries can pool expertise and resources, share specialised capabilities and delegate certain functions while continuing to meet their international aviation obligations.

The first day will focus on the benefits of regional cooperation and the role of RSOOs and RAIOs in strengthening safety oversight and accident and incident investigations.

The second day will examine workforce development, sustainable financing, partnerships with industry and harmonised regulatory frameworks.

Representatives from ICAO and EASA will be joined by officials from civil aviation authorities and regional organisations across Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas.

Industry participation will include representatives from Airbus, American Airlines and LIAT Air.

Guyana Seeks to Showcase Growing Aviation Sector

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar said the forum provides Guyana with an opportunity to showcase its aviation sector while exposing local stakeholders to international developments in regulation, safety and operations.

“We want to make sure that we sell the brand Guyana, and we want to make sure that our people are fully in tune with what is happening, legally, operationally, in the aviation sector across the globe,” Indar said.

The event comes as Guyana’s aviation sector undergoes rapid expansion.

The number of airlines serving the country has increased from four in 2020 to 16 today, while signed Air Services Agreements have more than doubled, rising from 13 to 27 over the same period.

The growth reflects Guyana’s expanding international connectivity and rising demand for air travel, but it also places greater demands on the country’s regulatory and safety infrastructure.

More airlines and routes require effective safety oversight, qualified aviation professionals, robust regulatory systems and the capacity to investigate accidents and incidents in accordance with international standards.

Growth Brings Greater Safety Responsibilities

The forum will also examine the particular challenges facing smaller aviation jurisdictions.

Maintaining every specialised safety oversight and accident-investigation capability independently can be costly and technically demanding. Regional organisations can allow countries to share expertise, equipment, training and investigative resources while reducing duplication.

Such arrangements can strengthen national aviation systems while helping states meet their obligations under international aviation standards.

Guyana’s hosting of the forum places the country at the centre of discussions involving aviation authorities from multiple regions and major international industry players.

The event also provides an opportunity to deepen Guyana’s engagement with global aviation institutions as the country’s own air transport sector expands.

The challenge now is ensuring that regulatory capacity, safety oversight and professional expertise grow at the same pace as passenger traffic, airline connections and aviation investment.

The two-day forum opens Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.