logo
GACA enables new era of Saudi aviation through brand and digital platforms launch

GACA enables new era of Saudi aviation through brand and digital platforms launch

Zawya20-02-2025

Riyadh – Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation has revealed digital customer platforms and a new brand identity to lead a golden era of aviation in the Kingdom, during a ground-breaking launch ceremony in Riyadh. The launch is in line with GACA's revised mandate as an independent and customer-first regulator, supporting the Saudi aviation sector's broader transformation and growth in line with Vision 2030 and the Saudi Aviation Strategy.
The launch of GACA's 'Ajwaa' platform will enable customers to access aviation regulatory and licensing services digitally through a 'one stop shop', including applications for pilot, cabin crew and crew member licenses and a range of single and annual flight permits. GACA has also launched a new website, including dedicated passenger rights and economic regulations information for passengers and customers, and the general aviation sector.
His Excellency Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, stated: 'Saudi aviation is transforming in support of Vision 2030. New airports, airlines and destinations are driving unprecedented growth for the Kingdom and better experiences for passengers. GACA's regulatory focus is enabling Saudi Arabia to lead globally through aviation, placing greater responsibility upon airports and airlines to deliver outstanding customer service. The brand identity and digital initiatives launched today are paving the way for a golden decade of Saudi aviation.'
His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, President of GACA, said: 'Today's launch represents a new era for GACA that will define the future of aviation, charting new horizons for the Kingdom. GACA is committed to creating better choice, value and quality in every journey, by delivering regulatory services that ensure competition, safety, security and sustainability in civil aviation.
'GACA is putting the customer first. Today's launch of GACA's digital Ajwaa licensing platform is one example of GACA's digital transformation, creating seamless licensing processes for our customers.'
GACA's new brand identity symbolizes GACA's new mandate. The new spherical symbol reflects GACA's global reach, the dynamism of GACA's digitally-led regulatory approach, and the palm and crossed swords of a Saudi government authority. The identity is built upon GACA's core functions of regulating, monitoring performance, enabling competition and growth, and protecting passengers.
GACA's new identity launch builds upon record-breaking progress achieved since the approval of the Saudi Aviation Strategy in 2020. Milestones achieved include the transfer of airports from GACA in 2022, commencement of privatization and airport infrastructure programs, establishment of Riyadh Air, Release of the King Salman International Airport masterplan, Launch of Riyadh Integrated – the Kingdom's first Special Integrated Logistics Zone, GACA's implementation of new passenger rights and the largest overhaul of economic regulations in 15 years, and the release of GACA's Advanced Air Mobility and General Aviation Roadmaps.
Saudi aviation continues to set new records across all measures. In 2024 Saudi aviation passenger numbers increased by 15% to 128 million in 2024, 24% above pre-pandemic levels, with flight numbers rising by 11% to 902,000. There was also a 16% increase in connectivity with the Kingdom now connected to 172 destinations on a weekly basis around the world.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fitch reaffirms TAQA's credit rating at ‘AA Stable'
Fitch reaffirms TAQA's credit rating at ‘AA Stable'

Al Etihad

time2 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

Fitch reaffirms TAQA's credit rating at ‘AA Stable'

7 June 2025 15:42 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Abu Dhabi National Energy Company's (TAQA) long-term credit rating at 'AA' with a Stable Outlook, underscoring the company's robust financial profile and strategic importance to the Abu Dhabi rating reflects TAQA's classification as a government-related entity, with Fitch assuming 'virtually certain' support from the Abu Dhabi government in all financial continues to enjoy the same sovereign rating as the government of Abu Dhabi, based on the expectation that its obligations would be fully supported if needed. Alongside this, Fitch Ratings has maintained TAQA's standalone credit profile (SCP) at 'bbb+', recognising the company's solid operational fundamentals.'The standalone profile reflects TAQA's strong business fundamentals, which are supported by its dominant presence in Abu Dhabi and a substantial portion of regulated and quasi-regulated earnings. We expect higher capex in 2025-2028 to increase its funds from operations,' Fitch Ratings observed in its latest agency highlighted that regulated and quasi-regulated businesses contributed 51% and 34%, respectively, to TAQA's 2024 EBITDA, underlining the company's stable revenue base. 'It has a leading position in Abu Dhabi as a fully integrated utility,' the agency cited several factors that justify the continued strong rating for TAQA, a key player in the region's energy infrastructure. 'We see no effective substitutes for TAQA given its role in the energy system of Abu Dhabi. TAQA has a large share in power generation and water desalination, monopoly in the electricity and water transmission and distribution (T&D), and wastewater treatment,' the report strategic investments have further reinforced TAQA's position. The 2024 acquisition of Sustainable Water Solutions Holding Company (SWS) and an equity stake in Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) have bolstered the company's capabilities as a leading integrated utility. 'A TAQA default could also affect the cost of funding for the sovereign, given its large size and activity on capital markets,' Fitch expects the regulatory framework governing electricity and water T&D in Abu Dhabi to remain stable and transparent, with effective cost-recovery mechanisms that compare favourably to other emerging markets. It also anticipates continued and timely subsidy payments from the state, supporting TAQA's financial ahead, Fitch forecasts that TAQA will receive increased earnings contributions from its associate companies over 2025–2028, amounting to Dh1 billion annually, with half of that expected from ADNOC Gas, in which TAQA holds a 5% stake. 'We do not forecast any dividends from Masdar, given its ambitious growth plans and targets,' the agency remains committed to Vision 2030, particularly in transmission, distribution, water, and power generation. Fitch estimates that Dh8 billion will be injected over 2025–2026, reinforcing TAQA's long-term investment trajectory. 'TAQA also plays an important role in achieving Abu Dhabi's energy targets of 2050, through its commitment to invest around Dh75 billion in 2021–2030, of which Dh26.7 billion were invested in 2021–2024,' Fitch summary, TAQA's reaffirmed rating is anchored in its strong business profile, stable cash flows, supportive regulatory environment, and strategic position in Abu Dhabi's utilities sector, backed by the near-certain support of the government. ADQ, the sovereign wealth fund, holds over 90% stake in TAQA, which is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange with market cap of Dh370 billion. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi

From petrostate to deal state: Gulf IPO markets mature
From petrostate to deal state: Gulf IPO markets mature

Arabian Post

time8 hours ago

  • Arabian Post

From petrostate to deal state: Gulf IPO markets mature

Maein Khalid Since the pandemic, IPO activity across GCC capital markets has surged – offering a sharp contrast to the stop-start pace on New York's Nasdaq and the near standstill on London's LSE. Nearly 300 IPOs have raised around $50 billion across the Gulf since 2021. ADVERTISEMENT Below I outline six key macro themes shaping this post-Covid IPO boom in the GCC. First, contrary to expectations, the number, size and aftermarket performance of IPOs in the GCC have shown little correlation with oil prices. Since 2021 Brent crude has swung wildly, yet IPO momentum has remained resilient, even in hydrocarbons-heavy markets like Saudi Arabia. Second, the sheer variety of sectors that contributed to regional IPO deals demonstrates that non-oil growth, industry deregulation, private sector entrepreneurship and e-commerce are powerful macro themes in the Gulf. The two largest IPOs in the GCC last year were the $2 billion food delivery app Talabat's IPO, listed in Dubai's DFM, and the $1.8 billion Lulu hypermarket, a 50-year-old family-owned grocery chain listed on Abu Dhabi's ADX. ADVERTISEMENT Last year saw 48 IPOs from sectors as varied as grocery chains, software and IT services, e-commerce, education, healthcare, financial services, remittance solutions, leisure, transportation and real estate. Third, Saudi Arabian deal flow both dominated the IPO pipeline and dramatically outperformed its GCC peers in aftermarket trading. For instance, 38 out of the 48 deals in the GCC that raised $12.06 billion in 2024 originated from the kingdom, and the average aftermarket performance in the week following the IPO was a spectacular 45 percent. The kingdom's first three IPOs on the main market this year all went 'limit up', surging on their first day of trading by the maximum 30 percent allowed. It is no mistake that the first aviation IPO in the region in almost two decades – Flynas is seeking to raise $1.1 billion – is taking place in the kingdom. This is a testament to both the vast liquidity available in the Saudi new issue market and the magnetic power of the kingdom's junior exchange, Nomu, which saw 27 companies listed in 2024 alone. New listings on Nomu are typically domestic Saudi firms operating in high-growth sectors tied to the kingdom's digital transformation – highlighting a clear link between rising tech literacy among its youthful population and a growing appetite for high-risk, high-reward IPOs. Fourth, the GCC IPO constellation is dominated by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with Oman a distant third. Saudi Arabia's 38 IPOs in 2024 dwarfed seven from the UAE, two from Oman and a solitary flotation in Kuwait. This spectacular asymmetry in the national origin of IPOs reflects the vast differences in the capital markets milieu, investor ecosystems and liquidity preferences among the six GCC states. Fifth, the recent IPO boom has attracted global investor interest in the Gulf's emerging capital markets, as sovereign wealth funds from the region have become a significant force in Wall Street and Silicon Valley deal-making. This trend will both broaden and deepen the GCC capital markets, evidencing that they are no longer an illiquid sideshow in the emerging markets universe. Historically the GCC IPO landscape was dominated by state-led privatisations and secondary offerings, with governments selling minority stakes in national champions. The most iconic example remains the 2019 Saudi Aramco listing – still the largest IPO in history – which raised $25.6 billion by selling just 1.5 percent of the company on Riyadh's Tadawul exchange. But the market has since evolved, moving beyond oil giants and into broader, more diversified territory. Saudi Aramco subsequently raised $12 billion in a secondary offering last year. These mega deals played a crucial role in the development of the kingdom's capital markets infrastructure and set the stage for the current bullish IPO environment. The UAE's role as the most diversified, cosmopolitan and networked economy in the Arab world can be gauged by the fact that it contributed to the two largest IPOs of 2024 – both private sector businesses with no connection to oil and gas or the government. The 2025 IPO of Bahrain-based Investcorp Capital marked a milestone for the region – positioning Abu Dhabi where it listed not just as an oil-rich emirate, but as a rising power in global finance. By listing a world-class alternative investment manager on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the UAE has shown it is no longer just deploying capital abroad – it's building the infrastructure to manage it at home. As a growing nexus for hedge funds and private capital, Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a noodle point in the global alternatives ecosystem. Mixed IPO outlook I predict the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF will midwife the next generation of privatisation IPOs in the kingdom, as it did with Saudi Aramco in 2019. But while the IPO market outperformance and the sheer scale of domestic liquidity flows make mega privatisation listings viable, the same cannot be said for smaller GCC states like Oman and Bahrain. Facing tighter fiscal constraints, their private investor base tends to favour quasi-debt, high-yield instruments issued by state-owned blue-chips over equity exposure. The sale of a 25 percent stake in OQ Gas Networks by Oman's state energy company suggests that it is problematic to engineer an IPO or even a state-owned energy colossus when oil prices are mired in a bearish downtrend. While the IPO marked a milestone for the Muscat bourse, it also revealed the limitations of investor appetite when crude prices are under pressure. Unlike Saudi Arabia's liquidity-fuelled listings, Oman's experience shows that timing – and broader market sentiment – can still make or break even the most strategic flotations. Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.

UAE pilgrims stand on Mount Arafat for the Hajj greatest pillar
UAE pilgrims stand on Mount Arafat for the Hajj greatest pillar

Sharjah 24

time2 days ago

  • Sharjah 24

UAE pilgrims stand on Mount Arafat for the Hajj greatest pillar

UAE pilgrims arrive in Arafat in comfort and good health Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Darei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat and Chairman of the UAE Pilgrims Affairs Office, confirmed that all UAE pilgrims arrived safely and comfortably in Arafat. He noted that the pilgrims are in good health and under continuous care from the accompanying medical teams, who are ensuring their wellbeing during this sacred journey. Comprehensive support for UAE pilgrims Dr Al Darei emphasised the UAE Pilgrims Affairs Office's commitment to providing all necessary services and support. From medical care to logistical assistance, the office is working to ensure that every UAE pilgrim has a smooth and spiritually fulfilling experience throughout the Hajj journey. Appreciation for Saudi Arabia's hajj management Dr Al Darei also praised the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, along with all related Saudi institutions, for their exceptional efforts. He highlighted the successful implementation of programs, the use of modern technologies, and the outstanding services provided to pilgrims. These efforts led to a smooth movement of pilgrims between holy sites, including the transitions from Mina to Arafat and from Arafat to Muzdalifah. A seamless experience for millions of pilgrims Thanks to the coordinated efforts and logistical support, the process of grouping and transporting the large crowds of pilgrims was carried out efficiently and with great care. The experience reflects the high level of organization and the deep commitment to serving the Guests of God during this sacred time.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store