The Ministry of Aviation said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to flag off the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) annual World Aviation Forum to be hosted in Nigeria later this month.
The ministry said Buhari flagging off the forum was to emphasize the importance attached to the consideration of Nigeria to becoming the first country to host the ICAO event.
It said the forum which comes up in Abuja later this month would be the first to be held outside the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
According to the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the hosting of the forum by Nigeria came so soon after the country hosted the ICAO symposium on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, adding that this was an indication of the confidence the government had elicited within the sector and an endorsement by the world body of its reform programmes for the nation’s aviation industry.
Sirika in a statement issued in Abuja, said, “The third ICAO World Aviation Forum which is intended to explore the benefits of the aviation sector to social, economic development and prosperity of member states, is aimed at top-ranking government officials in charge of aviation, transport and infrastructure, finance, economy and tourism, as well as key industry and financial partners.
“The forum is also expected to discuss, identify needs, and facilitate the funding and financing required to accelerate the implementation of international civil aviation standards and policies, as well as global plans for aviation, in support of the ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative.”