CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2026

We returned to Asia Pacific on 7 – 9 July for the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2026.

This beautiful coastal city saw three days of workshops, debate, and networking, plus the usual social events kindly provided by our hosts, VATM.

An introduction to our conference

The theme of the CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2026 was “Accelerating implementation of air navigation services modernisation and unlocking opportunities through regional collaboration“.

ICAO expects air traffic to nearly triple in the next 25 years. We need to build capacity and capability in the skies to support this growth, in a safe and efficient manner. As aviation is cross-border, air navigation services’ systems need to be inter-operable. Air navigation service providers can also benefit from common situation pictures (CSPs) which support better decision making, and more seamless air travel.

ICAO is now developing for adoption at the 43rd ICAO Assembly in 2028 the Minimum Implementation Path (MIP) to air navigation services (ANS) modernisation, which defines the baseline set of essential ANS capabilities that all States should implement to ensure global interoperability, harmonisation, and readiness for air navigation modernisation.

The CANSO Asia Pacific Conference 2026 brought together ANSPs, government, and industry leaders to discuss these topics and how Asia Pacific can build capacity and capability in its skies to support growth.

The Conference included presentations on Europe’s approach to building a Single European Sky and a proposed approach for Asia Pacific, taking into account our own unique contexts and circumstances.

The Conference also discussed the key elements and benefits of common situation pictures and how these can be developed for the region. There was also a look at the minimum ANS capabilities that all States should implement, as inputs to the ICAO MIP, and the implementation support needed for the region.

The Conference concluded with a discussion on the follow-ups, including the roles that can be played by various regional bodies like the ICAO, Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG), the Asia- Pacific ANSP Committee, CANSO, individual States and industry.