emirates7 - During its 235th Session, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) officially endorsed the UAE's Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace (GSAM) as a recurring annual event on ICAO’s official calendar—an uncommon honour for a state-led initiative to evolve into a globally institutionalised platform.
Initially launched in Abu Dhabi in February 2025 alongside the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS), GSAM is designed to advance sustainability in the aviation sector. The event gathers key players—airlines, manufacturers, regulators, and investors—to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), low-carbon aviation fuels (LCAF), and climate financing tools through ICAO’s Finvest Hub.
ICAO’s move highlights the UAE’s commitment to building this initiative and integrating it into the international aviation agenda. It also underscores the country’s growing leadership role in shaping sustainable aviation and delivering large-scale, practical solutions to global environmental challenges.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), credited the country’s leadership for positioning the UAE at the forefront of global aviation. He said this recognition reaffirms the UAE’s role in shaping forward-looking, sustainable initiatives that enhance the competitiveness and future-readiness of the aviation industry.
“We have successfully turned a national concept into a globally endorsed institutional platform aligned with ICAO’s objectives, contributing to a more resilient and efficient aviation system,” Al Marri noted.
GCAA Director-General Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi added, “The formal adoption of GSAM as an ICAO-backed event reflects the UAE’s strategic commitment to sustainability and its emphasis on inclusive international cooperation.”
ICAO Council members commended the UAE for its forward-thinking approach, saying the country serves as a global example of transforming visionary ideas into actionable solutions for sustainability and innovation.
Proposed by the UAE in 2024 through its permanent mission to ICAO, the GSAM initiative was created to establish a global venue that unites policy, technology, and finance in support of aviation’s net-zero transition. It quickly gained momentum through collaborative efforts between the GCAA, the UAE Mission in Montreal, and multiple national and international partners.
Preparations are already in motion for the second GSAM edition, which is expected to attract a broad international audience and play a vital role in advancing ICAO’s Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Initially launched in Abu Dhabi in February 2025 alongside the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS), GSAM is designed to advance sustainability in the aviation sector. The event gathers key players—airlines, manufacturers, regulators, and investors—to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), low-carbon aviation fuels (LCAF), and climate financing tools through ICAO’s Finvest Hub.
ICAO’s move highlights the UAE’s commitment to building this initiative and integrating it into the international aviation agenda. It also underscores the country’s growing leadership role in shaping sustainable aviation and delivering large-scale, practical solutions to global environmental challenges.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), credited the country’s leadership for positioning the UAE at the forefront of global aviation. He said this recognition reaffirms the UAE’s role in shaping forward-looking, sustainable initiatives that enhance the competitiveness and future-readiness of the aviation industry.
“We have successfully turned a national concept into a globally endorsed institutional platform aligned with ICAO’s objectives, contributing to a more resilient and efficient aviation system,” Al Marri noted.
GCAA Director-General Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi added, “The formal adoption of GSAM as an ICAO-backed event reflects the UAE’s strategic commitment to sustainability and its emphasis on inclusive international cooperation.”
ICAO Council members commended the UAE for its forward-thinking approach, saying the country serves as a global example of transforming visionary ideas into actionable solutions for sustainability and innovation.
Proposed by the UAE in 2024 through its permanent mission to ICAO, the GSAM initiative was created to establish a global venue that unites policy, technology, and finance in support of aviation’s net-zero transition. It quickly gained momentum through collaborative efforts between the GCAA, the UAE Mission in Montreal, and multiple national and international partners.
Preparations are already in motion for the second GSAM edition, which is expected to attract a broad international audience and play a vital role in advancing ICAO’s Long-Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.