The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is hosting the 29th meeting of the Environment Committee of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) during the period of  26 to 27 November 2025 at CAA’s headquarters in Muscat.

The meeting brings together representatives from ACAO Organization and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Morocco, and State of Libya.

Oman is hosting this session following its accession as a full member of the Committee, after previously participating as an observer, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Committee for the 2025–2026 terms.

The meeting aims to review the decisions and recommendations of ACAO’s Executive Council issued during its 72nd session, follow up on the outcomes of the Committee’s 28th meeting, and discuss the results of ICAO’s 42nd General Assembly regarding environmental protection. 

Participants also examined recent regional and international developments in this field and preparations for the 13th meeting of ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), in addition to identifying priority activities for 2026.

Khalid bin Hilal Al-Toubi, Director responsible for Civil Aviation Environmental Protection, emphasized that Oman’s hosting of the meeting reflects its commitment to supporting joint Arab action in the field of aviation environmental protection. 

He noted that the Sultanate continues to enhance its aviation environmental protection framework through updated national regulations and by adopting ICAO-endorsed best practices.

Al-Toubi added that the CAA places strong emphasis on empowering national talent and ensuring their active participation in specialized technical committees, enabling effective representation of Oman in international discussions on environmental protection—particularly those related to climate change, aviation emissions, noise, fuel-efficiency measures, and airport waste management.

He stressed that this meeting reflects the growing confidence in Oman’s regulatory and technical capabilities and reinforces its role in supporting international efforts to achieve a balance between aviation sector growth and environmental protection.

The Environment Committee is one of ACAO’s specialized technical bodies, established to support joint Arab efforts in protecting the atmospheric environment and mitigating the environmental impacts of civil aviation. The Committee also works to enhance alignment with the policies and standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Its mandate includes studying environmental aspects related to aviation operations—such as greenhouse-gas emissions and reduction mechanisms, aircraft noise, and airport environmental management—while providing technical recommendations to member states to adopt best environmental practices and unify Arab positions in relevant international forums.

It is worth noting that this meeting comes as part of broader regional efforts to promote the sustainability of the civil aviation sector in Arab countries and support initiatives aimed at balancing sector growth with environmental protection, in line with global trends and ICAO standards.