MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Within the framework of the largest aviation exhibition, International Paris Air Show 2025 in Paris, France, Mariam Kvrivishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, met with Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Givi Davitashvili, Director of the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency, Levan Karanadze, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Sakaeronavigatsia Ltd., and Nicolas Rallo, Director of the ICAO European and North Atlantic Office also attended the meeting.

One of the main topics on the meeting’s agenda was the illegal operation of Sukhumi Airport and the commencement of air traffic in the occupied Abkhazia region.
The Deputy Minister expressed gratitude for the international organization’s unwavering support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Mariam Kvrivishvili also expressed hope that ICAO will continue to take necessary measures to prevent international air traffic from the occupied region.

For their part, the heads of the International Civil Aviation Organization reiterated that the organization, as a UN structure, supports the position of the international community and unequivocally recognizes Georgia’s sovereignty. Emphasis was placed on the fact that ICAO has not assigned a four-digit location indicator code to Sukhumi Airport, and its assignment would only occur upon the request of the authorized aviation authority. It is also noteworthy that since Sukhumi Airport is located in the occupied Abkhazia region and the Georgian aviation authority is deprived of the possibility to control flight safety and aviation security, ICAO’s location indicator code for Sukhumi Airport has been removed based on the request of the Georgian aviation authority.

The Deputy Minister briefed the ICAO Secretary General on current trends in Georgia’s civil aviation sector and provided information on the sector’s further development and planned large-scale infrastructure projects. As a result of their implementation, Georgia will be able to fully fulfill the function of a regional transport hub for both passenger and cargo transportation.

The ICAO Secretary General positively assessed the reforms Georgia has implemented in the civil aviation sector regarding the introduction of international regulations. Progress achieved by Georgia in improving aviation oversight indicators was also highlighted. As Mariam Kvrivishvili noted, Georgia firmly maintains a leading position in the European region in aviation oversight, which positively reflects on the country’s reputation and at the same time increases the attractiveness of the country’s aviation market. The organization’s Secretary General also highly praised the participation of Georgian specialists in projects implemented under the auspices of ICAO.

The meeting also focused on the possibility of holding regional and global forums in Georgia under the auspices of ICAO.

Finally, Mariam Kvrivishvili invited the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization to Georgia.