ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar arrived in Astana on an official visit for the first time, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Cardona, the Civil Aviation Committee reported. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev met the high-ranking guest at the airport. This visit marked Juan Carlos Salazar's first trip to Central Asian countries.

ICAO Security Week

As part of the visit, the ICAO head will take part in ICAO Security Week 2026, which will be held on October 20–22 in Astana.

For the first time, Kazakhstan is hosting this large-scale international event, which brings together heads of aviation authorities, representatives of international organizations, airlines, airports and leading industry experts.

Recognition of achievements

Holding ICAO Security Week in Kazakhstan and the official visit of the organization's Secretary General demonstrate the high level of trust from the international aviation community, recognition of the country's achievements in ensuring aviation security and the strengthening of its position on the global aviation stage.

The results of the meeting are expected to give additional impetus to strengthening the global aviation security system and developing joint approaches to countering modern threats.

About ICAO

ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that unites 193 states. The organization sets international standards and recommended practices in the field of civil aviation.

Kazakhstan has been a member of ICAO since 1992. In 2024, the republic became the first among Central Asian countries to open a Permanent Mission to ICAO in Montreal.

Juan Carlos Salazar has served as ICAO Secretary General since August 2021. In 2024, he was reappointed for a second term.

Earlier, Kursiv wrote that Kazakhstan officially entered the top 20 countries in the world in terms of aviation security indicators. This became known at the ICAO Global Symposium (GISS 2026), where international experts called the republic's aviation strategy an "exemplary model of partnership."