GCAA Hosts ICAO Training to Update Civil Aviation Master Plan for Guyana

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is hosting a five-day technical training course to develop and update the country's Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP). The training, which runs from March 16 to 20, 2026, is convened under the guidance of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and is critical for managing the nation's unprecedented aviation growth.

The initiative brings together key stakeholders to create a strategic roadmap for Guyana's aviation sector. This plan is essential as the country has experienced a 532% increase in air traffic between 2020 and 2025, largely fueled by its expanding oil and gas industry. The updated CAMP will provide the framework for significant infrastructure expansion, safety oversight, and economic regulation, ensuring alignment with ICAO's global Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

Strategic Context: Becoming a Regional Hub

Guyana's government is actively working to transform the country into a regional aviation hub. According to data presented at Routes Americas 2026 by Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) CEO Ramesh Ghir, airline capacity at the airport surged from 300,000 seats to 1.7 million between 2020 and 2026. During the same period, the number of airlines serving Guyana quadrupled from four to 16, opening up 17 new destinations. Ghir noted this growth is heavily driven by the oil and gas sector, which has shifted traffic flows to include more premium passengers and long-haul demand from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Hon. Deodat Indar, stated the training is timely and that the government is developing a CAMP aligned with the president's national vision. GCAA Director General Lt. Col. (ret’d) Egbert Field emphasized the initiative's strategic significance, noting the training is designed to equip participants with the analytical tools necessary to produce a robust plan.

Major Infrastructure Investments

To support this rapid expansion, the Government of Guyana has committed to significant capital investments in 2026. According to the Aviation Operators Association of Guyana, the national budget allocates over $7 billion GYD for direct aviation investments. This includes $3.2 billion GYD earmarked for the construction of a second passenger terminal at Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the relocation of a new Air Traffic Control Tower complex.

A further $4 billion GYD is designated for improving connectivity to remote areas. This funding will support the development of new municipal airports at Lethem (Region 9) and Rosehall (Region 6) and the rehabilitation of more than 30 airstrips across Guyana’s hinterland regions. These investments will directly impact hinterland and Indigenous communities by improving access to essential services and economic markets, while providing local and international air operators with a modernized operational environment.

Regulatory Alignment and The CAMP Framework

A Civil Aviation Master Plan serves as a comprehensive, long-term roadmap for a state's aviation sector. The plan addresses critical areas including infrastructure, airspace management, safety oversight, security, and economic regulation. Facilitated by ICAO Aviation Specialist Mr. Roberto Sosa, the GCAA training focuses on strengthening the technical capacity of stakeholders to develop a plan that aligns Guyana's national goals with ICAO's global standards.

Participants include senior representatives from CJIA, Eugene F. Correia International Airport, local air operators, the Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), the Guyana Tourism Authority, and the Civil Aviation Training School. The training, funded by the Government of Japan, ensures that the resulting master plan is a collaborative effort reflecting the country's current growth trajectory.

Historical Precedent: Updating the 2020 Plan

This initiative directly builds upon Guyana's 2020 Civil Aviation Master Plan. That document provided the initial framework for aviation development but was formulated before the full scale of the post-2020 oil-driven economic expansion became clear. The current training's central outcome is the enhancement and updating of the 2020 plan to accurately reflect the nation's accelerated infrastructure development and ambitious long-term agenda.

What Comes Next

Following the conclusion of the training, stakeholders will work towards finalizing the updated strategic document. Several key infrastructure projects are scheduled to advance concurrently.

• The updated Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP) is expected to be completed in late 2026, according to the GCAA.
• Construction of the second passenger terminal at Cheddi Jagan International Airport is confirmed to proceed between 2026 and 2027.
• The development of new municipal airports at Lethem and Rosehall is a confirmed government priority, with construction anticipated between 2026 and 2028.

Why This Matters

This strategic planning exercise is more than a bureaucratic update; it is the foundational blueprint for managing one of the fastest-growing aviation sectors in the Americas. The updated Civil Aviation Master Plan will be crucial for ensuring that Guyana's regulatory framework and physical infrastructure can safely and efficiently accommodate the rapid growth fueled by its natural resources. For the wider Caribbean and South American region, it signals Guyana's serious commitment to becoming a significant and well-regulated aviation hub.

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