RIYADH, Saudi Arabia,
May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/
-- Under the the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the General
Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is hosting the third edition of
the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, attended by over 5,000 aviation
experts and leaders from more than 100 countries.
On the second day of the forum, H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) called on
the international community to establish a 'Global Aid Aviation
Council.' Bringing together the aviation community, humanitarian
agencies and governments, the new body would facilitate and protect
humanitarian aid delivered across air routes. As part of the
proposal, H.E. Dr Al Rabeeah stated
that all programs must be protected under international
humanitarian law.
The Global Aid Aviation Council would facilitate the delivery of
humanitarian aid in three ways: by ensuring uninhibited access to
airports, flightpaths, and refuelling facilities for aircraft
delivering aid; by removing all duties and tariffs on aircraft
transporting aid; and by streamlining the coordination of aid
delivery. The removal of duties would reduce costs, helping to
bridge the humanitarian funding gap.
H.E. Dr Al Rabeeah emphasized the
vital role of civil aviation in delivering humanitarian aid during
both man-made conflicts and natural disasters:
"Civil aviation is crucial for the swift transportation of
humanitarian personnel and the delivery of emergency supplies such
as food, water, medical supplies, and shelter materials. An
international community-backed Global Aid Aviation Council would
facilitate the delivery of such aid, saving lives and helping those
in need."
KSrelief has leveraged aviation to deliver critical health
supplies and aid in crisis zones. Its airbridge programs have
supported Gaza with 50 flights
from Riyadh to Al Arish in
Egypt, to Sudan with over 20 flights, and provided vital
assistance to the victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Additionally, an ambitious airbridge
program for Ukraine has sent over
21 airplanes carrying essential aid to border cities in
Poland.
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