Canada's Foreign Minister John Baird announced that Qatar has withdrawn its offer to serve as the new permanent seat of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin learned of Qatar's withdrawal in a letter Thursday evening and advised the body's council on Friday morning.

"Montreal has been our home for many decades," he said in a statement.

"While the offer to move us to Doha was extremely generous, ICAO is also very pleased to continue its global mission with the support and co-operation of the Canadian and local governments who have hosted our headquarters for so many years now."