ICAO Aviation Security Week will take place on 20–22 October 2026 at the Independence Palace in Astana. The event is supported by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport. It will be the first time Kazakhstan hosts a global forum on the subject.
According to the organisers, aviation authorities of states and industry representatives will gather at the forum. ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar will make his first official visit to Kazakhstan. Participation of senior representatives of Brazil, Hungary, Italy, Canada, the UAE, Portugal, the United States, Thailand, France, Ethiopia and other countries is announced, along with international organisations including the UN, AFCAC, LACAC, IATA, ECAC and GEA.
The programme covers managing risks linked to digital technologies and artificial intelligence, growing cyber threats and the spread of unmanned aircraft, as well as the consequences of armed conflicts and geopolitical instability. Other topics include innovation and new technologies, workforce development and strengthening aviation security systems. Discussions draw on ICAO's Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) and the USAP-CMA audit programme. According to ICAO, the week contributes to preparations for the Third High-level Conference on Aviation Security, to be held in 2027.
The Kazakh side says the country meets 95.7% of international aviation security requirements, ranks among the world's top 20 on this indicator and leads Central Asia. The figure was cited in April 2026 by Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of the Civil Aviation Committee.
Our assessment: a forum of this level makes Astana a venue for regional dialogue on security and gives local companies access to international regulators. For suppliers of screening equipment, training centres and companies working on cargo supply chain security, it is an opportunity for contacts. The programme is currently known from the organisers' statements, and the outcomes will become clear after the week. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the organisers.