The General Authority of Civil Aviation successfully convened the 10th National Aviation Sector Strategy Activation Steering Committee in Riyadh, chaired by Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, governor of GACA. The meeting witnessed the participation of esteemed industry leaders, including Turki bin Matooq Al-Thonayan, CEO of The National Security Services Company, known as SAFE, along with a group of senior officials representing national companies and carriers operating in the civil aviation sector in the Kingdom. The meeting was hosted and sponsored by SAFE.
SAFE’s sponsorship of this meeting underscores the wise leadership’s keen interest in the aviation and security sectors, aligning with the Kingdom’s overall development in different areas.
With the aim of achieving a crucial goal of the Kingdom’s aviation sector, which is to reach 330 million passengers annually by 2030, SAFE aspires to drive a qualitative leap in the aviation industry through its integrated security solutions. This includes the provision of airport security services, which combine cutting-edge international technologies with highly qualified and trained security personnel. This will have a positive impact on the passenger experience and solidify the Kingdom’s position as a regional leader in the aviation field.
During the meeting, Al-Thonayan said: “The success of any ecosystem significantly relies on the collaboration among service providers, customers, and compliance authorities under the leadership of the regulator. SAFE is committed to being the ultimate partner in shaping the future of security, safety, and firefighting in the region. In line with this commitment, we eagerly anticipate strengthening our partnerships with key players in the ecosystem. Through these collaborations, we aim to make the aviation industry within the Kingdom one of the safest ecosystems, with the most efficient airport operations and best passenger experience.”
Meanwhile, Al-Duailej highlighted the importance of intensifying efforts and undertaking further measures to enhance the overall performance of the sector. This includes elevating the role of civil aviation, raising its competitive value, and realizing the aspirations of the wise leadership in developing and investing in the sector to serve citizens and travelers. The GACA governor commended all employees of the sector and the relevant authorities for their dedicated efforts and collaborative work, which he said would contribute to the attainment of the national strategy’s objectives. These objectives encompass doubling the absorptive capacity and achieving an annual passenger count of over 330 million from more than 250 destinations worldwide and increasing the cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons by 2030.
The meeting included two panel sessions, which discussed the latest developments and achievements of the strategies implemented by airlines operating within the Kingdom’s airports. The first session, titled “Aviation Sector Strategy Execution Challenges,” featured notable speakers including Mohammed Al-Khuraisi, executive vice president of strategy and business intelligence at GACA; Captain Fahd Cynndy, CEO of Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries; Khaled Al-Hamash, chief operating officer of Matarat Holding Company; Captain Ibrahim Al-Koshy, CEO of Saudi Arabian Airlines; and Muhammad Ovais, head of aviation and security sector for the Public Investment Fund.
The second panel session discussed the significance of security in achieving the objectives and priorities of the national aviation sector. The session titled “Aviation Security as an Enabler of Non-Aeronautical Revenue and Productivity Improvement in Airport Operations,” hosted distinguished panelists including Adnan Al-Ghamdi, adviser to the executive vice president for aviation security at GACA; Mustafa Jan, head of advisory and consulting at SAFE; Abdulaziz Al-Asaker, chief commercial officer of Riyadh Airports Company; Vincent Coste, chief commercial officer of Riyadh Air; and Kevin Sawyer, head of international operations aviation security at UK Civil Aviation Authority International.
SAFE was established in 2019 to uplift the standards and image of the Kingdom’s security sector by providing high-quality, integrated, and specialized security services; diversify the economy; and enable new sectors to contribute to achieving Saudi Vision 2030.
