ABU DHABI, 2nd May, 2025 (WAM) -- The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has concluded the 64th annual conference of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) in Abu Dhabi, marking the first time the event has been hosted in the Middle East.
The UAE contributed six technical papers, highlighting national priorities in artificial intelligence, training and airspace innovation.
The conference welcomed 690 participants representing 98 associations.
Ahmed Ibrahim Al Jallaf, Assistant Director-General of the Air Navigation Services Sector at the GCAA, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the UAE’s submissions received wide acclaim and addressed integration of AI in air traffic control, modern training frameworks, zero-bureaucracy management, and advanced technologies adopted as global best practices.
Recommendations from these papers were adopted into IFATCA’s agenda, with one paper set to be developed as a global case study.
Al Jallaf also highlighted the “UAE Declaration", signed during the opening session between IFATCA and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, calling for accelerated training to address global air traffic controller shortages.
The UAE also secured membership in two of IFATCA’s three core committees, strengthening its international role in shaping aviation policy. Al Jallaf praised the contributions of young Emirati professionals in preparing the UAE’s papers and affirmed the GCAA’s continued investment in leadership development.
The conference’s success was attributed to close coordination with the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and the Emirates Aviation Association.
Al Jallaf noted the UAE’s air traffic has exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with a 23 percent increase recorded over 2023–2024 and a 6.7 percent rise in the first quarter of 2025. In response, the GCAA will launch phase four of the UAE Airspace Restructuring Project early next year, with completion targeted for late 2027 or early 2028.
He concluded that the UAE’s leadership in hosting and contributing to international aviation forums reaffirms its role in shaping the future of global air navigation.