Meeting Being Held Now Through October 8th
The U.S. government says it strongly supports the important
work of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN
specialized agency which develops and promotes standards and
practices for the safety, security and environmental sustainability
of international civil aviation.
ICAO is holding its 37th triennial session of the ICAO Assembly
from September 28 through October 8, 2010, in Montreal, Canada. The
United States has sent send a senior-level interagency delegation
to the Assembly, led by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano joined for the
first day of the Assembly to participate in an unprecedented
discussion among ICAO’s 190 member states on the issue of
aviation security on Tuesday. The delegation also includes FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt, TSA Administrator John Pistole, NTSB
Chairman Deborah Hersman, and Assistant Secretary of State for
International Organization Affairs, Esther Brimmer.
The Assembly will review the work of ICAO over the last three
years and set ICAO’s work program and budget for the next
triennium. In addition, the Assembly will elect 36 Member States to
serve on the ICAO Council, for which the U.S. is a candidate for
re-election.
The ICAO preceded its triennial meeting by concluded agreements
with two regional organizations and four regional civil aviation
bodies to cooperate in reducing the rate of aircraft accidents,
improving security in flight and at airports, and promoting the
overall sustainable development of the air transport industry.
Memoranda of Cooperation (MOCs) were concluded Monday with the
African Union, the European Union, the Arab Civil Aviation
Commission, the African Civil Aviation Commission, the European
Civil Aviation Conference and the Latin American Civil Aviation
Commission. The MOCs create a framework for greater regional
cooperation in the technical and policy aspects of international
civil aviation. They emphasize the consistent implementation and
harmonization of ICAO’s internationally-recognized Standards
and Recommended Practices (SARPs) related to aviation safety and
security, environmental protection, as well as policies for
sustainable air transport.
The process includes:
- Improved mechanisms for consultation and cooperation, including
electronic information sharing.
- Coordinated program planning and implementation between ICAO
and the regional civil aviation bodies.
- Joint training and capacity building.
“Greater regional cooperation can improve the efficiency
of air transport operations and simultaneously generate economic
growth for States and Regions alike,” said Roberto Kobeh
González, President of the ICAO Council.
“In a world increasingly structured around regional or sub
regional economic units, greater collaboration in aviation matters
can facilitate access to essential markets which could otherwise
not be easily reached. Close partnerships between ICAO and regional
bodies can make this happen,” he concluded.