BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar discussed cooperation in civil aviation, including aviation safety, airport infrastructure, and the development of Kazakhstan’s transit potential, according to the Kazakh government.
Bektenov met with Salazar, who arrived in Astana to participate in Aviation Safety Week 2026. The visit marks the first official visit by an ICAO Secretary General to Central Asia.
During the meeting, the sides discussed further cooperation between Kazakhstan and ICAO, focusing on reforms aimed at supporting sustainable development across priority economic sectors.
Bektenov noted that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pays particular attention to developing the country’s transport and logistics potential, establishing aviation hubs and strengthening Kazakhstan’s role as a transit hub. He said cooperation with ICAO was of strategic importance to Kazakhstan’s aviation industry.
Salazar praised Kazakhstan’s achievements in aviation safety. Kazakhstan ranks among the world’s top 20 countries in aviation safety, with a score of 95.7%, according to the Kazakh government.
He also noted Kazakhstan’s efforts to develop airport and air navigation infrastructure, while its airlines are modernizing their fleets and expanding their international route networks.
The sides noted positive trends in Kazakhstan’s civil aviation sector. Over the past five years, the sector’s gross output increased 6.5 times to $2.9 billion. In 2025, passenger traffic at the country’s airports reached 31.8 million, while the international route network expanded to 161 destinations.
The government attributed these developments to the consistent implementation of international standards and the professional expertise of Kazakh specialists.
The sides also highlighted the importance of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Master Plan through 2050 (CAMP-2050), which is being developed to guide the sector’s future growth. The plan is expected to set strategic priorities for modernizing the industry, developing aviation hubs and improving Kazakhstan’s international competitiveness.
Following the meeting, Bektenov and Salazar reaffirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation and coordinate efforts to improve aviation safety and support the sustainable development of civil aviation in Kazakhstan.
