The Saudi Transport Minister: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls for the reduction of greenhouse emissions

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H.E. Suliman Alhamdan, Transport Minister explained that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to adopt measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that those measures should not be biased toward any one source of energy.  And that all sources of energy should work to compliment and not substitute each other.
H.E. went on to say during the ICAO 39^th General Assembly opening session in Montreal, Canada on the subject of the International Civil Aviation Agreement: “that the evolution of the International Civil Aviation in the future can greatly help in creating and preserving friendship and understanding among the nations of the world and its population, while abusing the agreement is possible and could pose a threat to public safety”.
H.E. the president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia gave his approval for a donation to the ICAO intuitive “Don’t leave any country behind” for one million US dollars.
He went on to say that the previous General Assembly has asked of the ICAO Council to work in cooperation with States and with the relevant organization to prepare a global plan on the list of measures on market mechanisms in international aviation.  They were asked to submit it to the current General Assembly.  He went on to say that Saudi Arabia appreciated the great efforts that have been made for a comprised text of the working paper that was raised from the ICAO Council to the Assembly.
H.E. praised the participation of the delegation of Saudi Arabia which attained good results through high level group in the meetings that ICAO called for, and what has been reached on the working paper submitted to the General Assembly. It represented the basis for a balance settlement for States, airliners and the industry in general.
His Excellency the President of GACA said that the Kingdom is keen on the expansion of traffic rights with other friendly countries, through bilateral and multilateral negotiations.  He went on to thank ICAO effort in this area for organizing the ICAN conference on air services negotiations, which the Kingdom had the honor of hosting it.
He stressed on the need that the General Assembly Resolutions be based on fair competition to reflect on the Chicago Convention, which states the establishment of international air transport routes on the basis of equal opportunities and for investment based on sound economic principles.  He affirmed the right of carriers to evolve and grow as long as they are able to compete and provide better services for passengers.  He stressed that countries should not create obstacles to the growth of air carriers in other countries under the pretext of fair competition. 
Mr. Alhamdan pointed out that Saudi Arabia sees the ICAO initiative of not leaving any country behind as an ambitious plan aimed at helping countries in applying standards and recommendations in the field of safety, aviation security, efficiency and economic feasibility, in addition to environmental consideration.
He went on to say that in order to strengthen “Not country left behind” initiative, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has called on the nations of the world to assemble for the Global Ministerial Summit which was held in the capital city of Riyadh, in the period from the 29 to the 31^st of August, 2016.  The summit was held in order to agree on the best ways to enhance joint action in safety, security and the facilities given between countries in the Arab Civil Aviation region and countries in the Middle Eastern region.
The minister touched on the fact that their excellences the Minister of Transport and the Directors General of Civil Aviation in the Arab Civil Aviation region and Middle Eastern countries has approved the Riyadh Declaration pertaining to cooperation between countries in the region in the field of aviation safety and facilities given.  Also the plan regarding safety and air navigation of the Middle East region.