Georgia: The Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili, met with Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) within the framework of the largest aviation exhibition, International Paris Air Show 2025.
Notably, one of the main issues of the meeting’s agenda was the illegal operation of Sokhumi Airport and the start of airflow to the occupied Abkhazia region.
The Deputy Minister expressed his gratitude for the international organization’s unwavering support of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, Mariam Kvrivishvili expressed hope that ICAO will continue to take necessary measures to prevent international air flow from the occupied region.
On the other hand, the heads of the International Civil Aviation Organization once again noted that the organization, as a structure of the United Nations, supports the position of international friendship and unanimously recognizes Georgia’s sovereignty.
It was emphasized that ICAO does not have a four-digit location code allocated for Sukhumi Airport and it will only be granted based on the intervention of authorized aviation authorities.
It is also noted that since Sukhumi Airport is located in the occupied Abkhazia region and the Georgian Aviation Authority is unable to control flight safety and aviation safety, at the request of Georgian Aviation Authorities, ICAO has removed the location code for Sukhumi Airport.
The Deputy Minister introduced the ICAO Secretary-General to current trends in the civil aviation sector of Georgia and provided information about further development of the field and planned large infrastructure projects, which will enable Georgia to fully fulfill the function of a regional transport hub for passenger transportation and freight transportation.
ICAO’s Secretary-General has positively assessed the reforms that Georgia has implemented to implement international regulations in the civil aviation sector. He also emphasized the progress that Georgia has made in terms of improving aviation supervision indicators.
