ALMATY – Kazakhstan has ranked among the top 20 countries worldwide in aviation safety, with its safety compliance indicator reaching 95.7%, officials said during the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Implementation Support Symposium 2026 (GISS 2026) in Marrakech, Morocco, where Kazakhstan’s aviation progress was presented to global partners.
Kazakhstan has ranked among the top 20 countries worldwide in aviation safety, officials said during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium 2026 in Morocco. Photo credit: Civil Aviation Committee.
The meeting brought together the President of the ICAO Council, Toshiyuki Onuma and the Chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, Saltanat Tompiyeva, along with senior aviation officials, the committee’s press service reported on April 17.
Onuma praised Kazakhstan’s active role within ICAO and its growing contribution to international aviation cooperation.
Rapid growth in aviation indicators
According to Tompiyeva, Kazakhstan has made significant progress in recent years. Aviation security indicators have increased from 62% to 95.7%, placing the country among the top 20 globally. Flight safety levels also rose from 47% in 2009 to 82% in 2025, well above the global average of 69.3% and the European average of 76%.
Passenger traffic has also grown sharply, increasing by 80% in 2025 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Regional Director of ICAO EUR/NAT Nicolas Rallo noted Kazakhstan’s evolving role in the aviation sector.
“We see a country that has moved from receiving support to becoming a model of strategy and partnership, sharing its experience with others. We are very grateful for that,” he said.
Tompiyeva also outlined plans to establish an independent transport accident investigation body, launch a modern aviation training center in Astana, and continue large-scale infrastructure modernization.
Expanding international cooperation
Kazakhstan is also set to host the ICAO Security Week 2026 from Oct. 20 to 22, marking the first large-scale ICAO event of its kind in the country. The forum is expected to become one of the biggest aviation safety gatherings in the region.
During the symposium, Kazakh representatives also held meetings with ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar and aviation officials from multiple countries, including Canada, France, Singapore, India, and Morocco. The discussions reaffirmed mutual interest in expanding cooperation, exchanging best practices, and developing joint initiatives within ICAO.
Read Saltanat Tompiyeva’s exclusive interview with The Astana Times for deeper insights into how Kazakhstan is quietly turning into one of the world’s fastest-rising aviation players — and what comes next.
