On the Session of the Council on Aviation and Use of Airspace

On November 20, 2025, a Session of the Council on Aviation and Use of Airspace (hereinafter - the Council) attended by plenipotentiary representatives of the States Parties to the Agreement on Civil Aviation and Use of Airspace was held at the Interstate Aviation Committee. Representatives of the Interstate Aviation Committee and the CIS Executive Committee also participated in the Council Session.

CIS Deputy Secretary General, Ilkhom Nematov addressed the participants with a welcoming address, commending the joint work of the Council, the IAC, and the CIS Executive Committee on the safe development of civil aviation.

In 2025, the Russian Federation's chairmanship of the Council ends and the Republic of Tajikistan becomes the state taking over the chairmanship for the next three years, in accordance with the Regulation on the Council on Aviation and Use of Airspace.

In this regard, the Chairman of the Council, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Vladimir Poteshkin, noted that over the past three years, the Council has accomplished a great deal of work and approved key documents that needed to be updated in accordance with changes both in the States Parties to the Agreement and in global civil aviation. "I consider the regularity of our meetings to be a positive trend, and I hope that this established practice will continue. I would like to thank the esteemed plenipotentiary representatives of the states for their attention to the work of the Council and for their participation in the meetings."

Accepting the chairmanship, Khabibullo Nazarzoda, Director of the Civil Aviation Agency under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, emphasized: "Considering that enhancing civil aviation safety requires active collaboration among all stakeholders, I express my firm confidence that our platform will become an effective tool for continuing constructive dialogue at the regional level. This joint work will significantly strengthen aviation safety in the region."

During the Council Session, IAC Chairman, Oleg Storchevoy reported on the IAC's participation in the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Five working papers were presented to the IAC for discussion at the ICAO Assembly Session, which generated constructive discussions and were taken into account in the preparation of ICAO Assembly resolutions.

The Council agreed on a draft Memorandum of Cooperation between CIS Member States in the Development and Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Civil Aviation and a draft Plan of Priority Actions for the Implementation of the Concept for the Harmonization of National Air Traffic Management Systems of CIS Member States. The documents agreed upon at the Council Session will be forwarded to the CIS Executive Committee for further consideration.

The IAC also presented options for implementing the Concept of Constructing a Common Information Space for the Exchange of Flight Safety Data and Air Accident and Incident Investigation. Following the discussion of these options, the Council instructed the IAC to continue working on developing the technical specifications and financial and technical justification for implementing this Concept.

At the Council Session, Air Accident and Incident Investigation regulations Involving Civil Aircraft of the States Parties to the Agreement developed by the IAC were presented. The Council recommended adopting these regulations as a model for the development of national regulations in this area for the States Parties to the Agreement.

The Council approved a new version of the Rules of Procedure of the Council on Aviation and USe of Airspace and documents concerning the financing of the IAC activities in 2026.

Given the relevance of the development of unmanned aircraft systems, the Council decided to establish a Coordination Commission on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, which will operate within the IAC.

At the conclusion of the Council Session, colleagues thanked Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Vladimir Poteshkin for his effective work as Chairman of the Council and wished the Director of the Civil Aviation Agency under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Khabibullo Nazarzoda, who will chair the Council in January 2026, effective work and success in this area of ​​activity.

The next Session of the Council is scheduled to take place on 23-24 April 2026 in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan.