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IATA urges Azerbaijan to raise aviation security

01 May 2013 10:36 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementieva - APA-Economics. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged Azerbaijan to adopt an agenda for enhanced safety and regulation to enable aviation to expand its role as a catalyst for economic growth and development in the country, said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO speaking at an event marking the 75^th anniversary of commercial aviation in Azerbaijan.

“Aviation supports 1.8% of Azerbaijan’s GDP and provides employment for 1.5% of the work force. This is a significant impact, but when compared to aviation’s contribution to places such as Singapore or the United Arab Emirates, where aviation accounts for 9% and 15% of GDP respectively, it demonstrates that Azerbaijan has untapped potential”, he added.

Tyler noted that aviation supports some AZN 395 million of business and more than 66,000 jobs including aviation-related tourism: “I have asked the government to move forward with ratification of the Convention and alignment of related laws. Russia and Kazakhstan—two of Azerbaijan’s most important trading partners—will have the Convention in place by the end of 2013. I hope that Azerbaijan will be able to keep pace”.