Saudi Arabia has joined the Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Relating to International Civil Aviation (Beijing Convention, 2010), affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Beijing Convention addresses growing
international concern over unlawful acts targeting civil aviation, which pose a
direct threat to the safety of individuals and property and undermine
societies’ confidence in the security and efficiency of air transport.
It criminalises such acts, strengthens deterrent legal frameworks, and
establishes general principles for their comprehensive suppression.
The Beijing Convention modernises and consolidates related international legal
instruments, particularly the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Civil Aviation, signed in Montreal, Canada, in 1971, and
its 1988 supplementary protocol, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the
global legal framework in this field.
The move reflects Saudi Arabia’s longstanding commitment to protecting
international civil aviation and enhancing its safety and security, reported Saudi
Press Agency.
It aligns with the Kingdom’s policies and
national regulations and comes as part of its active role in the international
community.
Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia on the Council of ICAO Mohammed Habib
deposited the instrument of accession with ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos
Salazar during a formal ceremony.
Members of the Kingdom’s permanent
delegation and Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations at ICAO Michael
Gill attended the ceremony.
With this accession, Saudi Arabia becomes the 57th state party to the Beijing
Convention, which will enter into force for the Kingdom on 1 June 2026.