United Arab Emirates to Host Blockchain Aviation Conference in Abu Dhabi

Increasing blockchain presence in aviation will form the focus of a dedicated conference in Abu Dhabi from April 2 to 4, official news portal Emirates News Agency confirmed in a press release on March 31.

Promising attendance by 800 people from almost 100 countries, “Blockchain: Unlock the Potential” aims to bring the possibilities of the technology, as they extend to the aviation industry, to a global stage.

The press release notes that the event is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, and includes the country’s minister of economy and an executive from Heathrow Airport as speakers.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was selected as a host venue due to authorities’ ongoing efforts to implement blockchain at state level in various areas of the local economy.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), commented in the press release:

“Selecting the UAE is a testament to our leadership’s continuing efforts towards investing in new technologies across different domains including the aviation sector and in maintaining strong partnerships between the government and the private sector, and the continuous endeavours in exploring methods to improve aviation business practices in a dynamic and thriving environment.”

Basic details about the conference reveal it will include blockchain applications throughout the industry, including aircraft and other assets, along with finance deals and other business-related processes.

The event comes around two weeks after Abu Dhabi hosted another blockchain-related event, this time directly tackling cryptocurrency and fintech phenomena.

The event drew supportive comments from local authorities on cryptocurrency, fuelling speculation the UAE could become a haven for digital assets.

“It is essential that we develop frameworks and regulations that govern these technologies and developments,” Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair, chairman of United Arab Emirates Banks Federation (UBF) said.

The aviation industry itself also continues to look into blockchain, one recent case involving NASA, which is considering applications of the technology in air traffic control environments.