State Department: Accomplishments of the 37th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

October 11, 2010 at 12:53 pm | Posted in Aviation Law | Leave a comment

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

Source – Department of State:

Accomplishments of the 37th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Mark C. Toner
Acting Department Spokesman
Washington, DC
October 8, 2010

The United States notes the accomplishments of the 37th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The U.S. delegation, headed by Secretary of Transportation Raymond LaHood, joined by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and newly confirmed U.S. Ambassador Duane Woerth, recognizes the successes of the Assembly. Delegations from 167 countries from around the world participated in the Assembly.

The United States welcomes the historic agreement today at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on international aviation and climate change. Delegates to the Assembly adopted an unprecedented global commitment to collective action among countries around the world —developed and developing—to limit and reduce carbon emissions from international aviation. ICAO recognized that further work is necessary to define the path forward on implementation and the United States affirmed its commitment to further efforts within ICAO.

The Assembly adopted by consensus an unprecedented Declaration on Aviation Security. In response to the attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009, the global community united to bolster worldwide aviation security standards. Because every airport offers a potential entry point into this global system, every nation faces the threat from gaps in aviation security throughout the world – and all nations must share the responsibility for securing that system.

The Assembly endorsed the ICAO Comprehensive Aviation Security Strategy (ICASS), a new approach comprised of seven focus areas for the next two triennia, and gave unanimous support for the continuation of the Universal Security Audit Program (USAP).

Enhancing aviation safety continues to be the top priority of ICAO and its contracting states. The Assembly adopted many resolutions on new programs and policies on Safety Management, which include standards on State Safety Programs, Safety Management Systems and a Continuous Monitoring Approach to safety oversight. The Assembly strongly endorsed the sharing of safety information, and the United States offered its leadership and support by signing a precedent setting agreement with ICAO, the European Union and the International Air Transport Association on the sharing of safety information.

The United States was pleased to be re-elected to the thirty-six member Executive Council, and will continue to actively engage and participate in this steering body which sets the priorities and objectives for the organization. The results of this Assembly demonstrate how the safety of all international passengers becomes enhanced through multilateral diplomacy and negotiation.

PRN: 2010/1451