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.

FMI: www.state.gov, www.icao.int