Biggest International Aviation Conference in Sri Lanka begins today

Sri Lanka will host the 10th ICAN conference in Colombo from today till December 08.

The ICAN is the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Conference on Air Services Negotiation and is the premier annual international conference organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) bringing together delegations from all corners of the world to one single meeting place for negotiation of Air Service Agreements aiming at either updating existing traffic rights or creating new arrangements for market access among the ICAO member States.

More than 75 states are expected to assemble in Sri Lanka for ‘shopping’ of their market accessibility requirements for improved air transport connectivity between States. The 75 states are expected to attend this conference which will bring in around 500 delegates.

The Ministry of Transport &Civil Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka will be spearheading and hosting the Conference, in conjunction with all other State organizations involved in travel and tourism. Under the advice and guidance of Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation G S Withanage, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka Ananda Wimalasena and a team headed by Director General of Civil Aviation H.M.C. Nimalsiri and Chief Organizer- ICAN 2017/ Director (Air Transport & Economic Affairs) CAA Rayhan Wanniappa has taken all necessary steps to host this conference here successfully.

Significant contributions have been made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd, SriLankan Airlines and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau for the success of hosting this conference. Other contributors have been Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Sri Lanka Tea Board and the National Gem & Jewellery Authority and Aitken Spence Travels.

The only previous occasion it has been hosted in South Asia was in Mumbai in 2011, where the conference venue was the iconic Taj Hotel. It is the policy of ICAO to shift the venue of this Conference from one Continent to the other and a similar conference may not take place in the Asia and Pacific Region again within the next few years.

The opening ceremony of ICAN will be at the BMICH today and thereafter negotiations between respective States will take place at the Colombo Hilton until the 8th, as per their mutual arrangements made in coordination with ICAO, the Conference Organizer.

The opening ceremony will be held under the auspices of Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva, as the chief guest and the guest of honour will be Minister of Tourism and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga, and Minister of Public Enterprise Development Kabir Hashim, will attend as a special guest along with top ICAO officials.