Guyana’s ICAO appointment “pivotal” for global aviation role – GCAA head 

Guyana has achieved a significant milestone with its appointment to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Transport Regulation Panel (ATRP), further highlighting the country’s role in global aviation.
This appointment took effect July 28, 2026. Dr Saheed Sulaman, Deputy Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), is the appointed official and Guyana’s representative on the panel.

According to the GCAA, this appointment underscores Guyana’s growing leadership and active role in shaping international air transport.
The Authority highlighted that Dr Sulaman is known for his regional involvement in the CARICOM Technical Negotiating Team on Air Services, his role as Chairman of the Special Committee on Transport of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and his role as an ICAO Global Ambassador.
“Guyana will no doubt contribute meaningfully to the ATRP’s work,” GCAA said. “The panel brings together qualified technical experts who help the ICAO create, update, and improve policies for the economic and legal regulation of international air transport.”
It added that “This appointment aligns with the vision of His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, whose 10-Pillar National Aviation Policy aims to position Guyana as a premier regional aviation hub and to advance connectivity across the region. Guyana’s new role on the ICAO ATRP will certainly help advance the connectivity agenda.”

Right direction
Commenting on the development, GCAA’s Director General, Col (Ret’d) Egbert Field, said the appointment is another step in the right direction.

“Our request to join this panel dates to 2019, but ICAO ATRP now sees it as appropriate to appoint us. This is therefore a pivotal opportunity for us to make a greater contribution to global air transport regulation. In this role, Guyana can advocate for policies and contribute to innovative, collaborative solutions that strengthen connectivity and aviation development worldwide,” Field is quoted as saying in the GCAA press release.
Meanwhile, Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar is quoted saying that “these accomplishments are the sum total and impact of the hard work of the Government and what we are doing.”
“The achievements in development within the aviation sector in Guyana are outstanding; across the entire aviation ecosystem, there is growth. Our representation at the regional and global level is not accidental but the result of diligent, targeted effort, vision and leadership. In this regard, we are relentless in our pursuits,” he added.

Past accomplishments
Only a few months ago in May, it was announced that GCAA’s Director General was elected Chairman of the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS), a landmark achievement in the country’s history.
This was the first time that Guyana and the GCAA have assumed the chairmanship of the regional aviation body. Previous chairmanships have been held by Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, each represented by their respective Director General.
At the time, GCAA noted that Guyana assumed the leadership of CASSOS at a pivotal and transformative juncture for the organisation, as the regional body is actively seeking to build its capacity and capability to help its member states enhance oversight of their aviation activities, improve their compliance with the ICAO, and standardise their regulations.
Additionally, earlier this year, the GCAA director as well as its deputy was appointed to serve on the ICAO Global Ambassadors Programme. The appointments are for two years and commenced on January 1, 2026.
Field, with over 50 years of experience in military and civil aviation as both a pilot and an administrator, has led Guyana’s GCAA as Director General for the past decade, strengthening its institutions and boosting international credibility.
With 19 years at GCAA, Dr Sulaman has held senior roles and is now deputy director general, overseeing organisational development, capacity building, and strategic initiatives.