Kazakhstan Ranks Among Top 20 in Global Aviation Safety

Kazakhstan has achieved a significant milestone in aviation safety, entering the world's top twenty countries with a safety indicator of 95.7%. This progress was highlighted during a meeting between the leadership of Kazakhstan's Civil Aviation Committee and the President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The discussions took place on the sidelines of the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS 2026). The Chairman of Kazakhstan's Civil Aviation Committee, Saltanat Tompiyeva, met with ICAO Council President Toshiyuki Onuma. The meeting was also attended by ICAO Regional Director for Europe and North Atlantic Nicolas Rallo and Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to ICAO Timur Tlegenov.

During the talks, Mr. Onuma praised Kazakhstan's active role and commitment to ICAO principles. "I have always highly valued your country's very active position and its contribution to ICAO's activities," he stated, emphasizing the importance of understanding member states' needs for support.

Nicolas Rallo noted Kazakhstan's unique trajectory, highlighting that the country has evolved from receiving support to now sharing its knowledge and practical experience with other nations.

Saltanat Tompiyeva presented key performance figures for Kazakhstan's aviation sector. The aviation safety indicator surged from 62% to 95.7%, securing a place in the global top twenty. Furthermore, flight safety performance rose from 47% in 2009 to 82% in 2025—a 35% increase that surpasses both the global average (69.3%) and the pan-European figure (76%). Passenger traffic in 2025 grew by 80% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

A crucial legal step was Kazakhstan's recent ratification of amendments to Articles 50 (a) and 56 of the Chicago Convention. This move paves the way for Kazakhstan to be nominated for a seat on the ICAO Council during an upcoming Extraordinary Session of the ICAO Assembly. As one of the largest landlocked developing countries, Kazakhstan aims to join Mali and Uganda as LLDC representatives on the Council.

The Kazakh delegation also informed ICAO leadership about several national initiatives: establishing an independent transport accident investigation body; plans to open a modern aviation training center in Astana; and implementing a large-scale program for modernizing aviation infrastructure.

In conclusion, Saltanat Tompiyeva invited President Onuma to visit Kazakhstan for a major international event—the ICAO Security Week Global Symposium scheduled for October 20-22, 2026. This will be the first large-scale international event under ICAO auspices ever held in Kazakhstan.

On her part, Ms. Tompiyeva held additional bilateral meetings with high-ranking officials from numerous countries including Canada, France, Singapore, India, Morocco, Indonesia, and several African nations. These discussions confirmed mutual interest in expanding cooperation and sharing best practices within ICAO frameworks.