TheInternational Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)is a UN specialized agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

ICAO works with the Convention’s 193 Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector. These SARPs and policies are used by ICAO Member States to ensure that their local civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms, which in turn permits more than 100,000 daily flights in aviation’s global network to operate safely and reliably in every region of the world.

In addition to its core work resolving consensus-driven international SARPs and policies among its Member States and industry, and among many other priorities and programmes, ICAO also coordinates assistance and capacity building for States in support of numerous aviation development objectives; produces global plans to coordinate multilateral strategic progress for safety and air navigation; monitors and reports on numerous air transport sector performance metrics; and audits States’ civil aviation oversight capabilities in the areas of safety and security.

Vision

Achieve the sustainable growth of the global civil aviation system.

Mission

To serve as the global forum of States for international civil aviation. ICAO develops policies and Standards, undertakes compliance audits, performs studies and analyses, provides assistance and builds aviation capacity through many other activities and the cooperation of its Member States and stakeholders.

ICAO’s Strategic Objectives

As the global forum for cooperation among its Member States and the world aviation community, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets and evolves Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) for the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation. Presently, there are over 10,000 such Standards and provisions contained in ICAO’s

Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation

In its ongoing mission to support and enable a global air transport network that meets or surpasses the social and economic development and broader connectivity needs of global businesses and passengers, and acknowledging the clear need to anticipate and manage the projected doubling of global air transport capacity by 2030 without unnecessary adverse impacts on system safety, efficiency, convenience or environmental performance, ICAO has established five comprehensive Strategic Objectives for the 2014-2016 triennium:

Safety

Enhance global civil aviation safety. This Strategic Objective is focused primarily on the State’s regulatory oversight capabilities. The Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) outlines the key activities for the triennium.

Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency

Increase the capacity and improve the efficiency of the global civil aviation system. Although functionally and organizationally interdependent with Safety, this Strategic Objective is focused primarily on upgrading the air navigation and aerodrome infrastructure and developing new procedures to optimize aviation system performance. The Global Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency Plan (Global Plan) outlines the key activities for the triennium.

Security & Facilitation

Enhance global civil aviation security and facilitation. This Strategic Objective reflects the need for ICAO’s leadership in aviation security, facilitation and related border security matters.

Economic Development of Air Transport

Foster the development of a sound and economically-viable civil aviation system. This Strategic Objective reflects the need for ICAO’s leadership in harmonizing the air transport framework focused on economic policies and supporting activities.

Environmental Protection

Minimize the adverse environmental effects of civil aviation activities. This Strategic Objective fosters ICAO’s leadership in all aviation-related environmental activities and is consistent with the ICAO and UN system environmental protection policies and practices.

ICAOSTRUCTURE

The Assembly

The Assembly, comprised of all Member States of ICAO, meets not less than once in three years and is convened by the Council at a suitable time and place. An extraordinary meeting of the Assembly may be held at any time upon the call of the Council or at the request of not less than one-fifth of the total number of Member States.

The Assembly has numerous powers and duties, among them to: elect the Member States to be represented on the Council; examine and take appropriate action on the reports of the Council and decide any matter reported to it by the Council; and approve the budgets of the Organization. The Assembly may refer, at its discretion, to the Council, to subsidiary commissions or to any other body any matter within its sphere of action. It can delegate to Council the powers and authority necessary or desirable for the discharge of the duties of ICAO and revoke and modify the delegations of authority at any time; and deal with any matter within the sphere of action of ICAO not specifically assigned to the Council. In general, it reviews in detail the work of the Organization in the technical, administrative, economic, legal and technical cooperation fields. It has the power to approve amendments to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944), which are subject to ratification by Member States.

The Council

The Council is a permanent body of the Organization responsible to the Assembly. It is composed of 36 Member States elected by the Assembly for a three-year term. In the election, adequate representation is given to States of chief importance in air transport, States not otherwise included but which make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for international civil air navigation and States not otherwise included whose designation will ensure that all major geographic areas of the world are represented on the Council.

The Council convenes the Assembly.

The Council has numerous functions, notable among which are to submit annual reports to the Assembly; carry out the directions of the Assembly; and discharge the duties and obligations which are laid on it by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944). It also administers the finances of ICAO; appoints and defines the duties of the Air Transport Committee, as well as the Committee on Joint Support of Air Navigation Services, the Finance Committee, the Committee on Unlawful Interference, the Technical Co-operation Committee and the Human Resources Committee. It appoints the Members of the Air Navigation Commission and it elects the members of the Edward Warner Award Committee.

Another key function of the Council is to appoint the Secretary General.

As one of the two governing bodies of ICAO, the Council gives continuing direction to the work of ICAO. In this regard, one of its major duties is to adopt international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and to incorporate these as Annexes to the Chicago Convention. The Council may also amend existing Annexes as necessary.

On occasion, the Council may act as an arbiter between Member States on matters concerning aviation and the implementation of the provisions of the Convention; it may investigate any situation which presents avoidable obstacles to the development of international air navigation and, in general, it may take necessary steps to maintain the safety and regularity of international air transport.

ICAO SECRETARIAT

1.Air Navigation Bureau

The Air Navigation Bureau manages the Safety and Infrastructure strategies of ICAO in a partnership with aviation stakeholders. This work is carried out within a framework with the following elements:

Policy and Standardization,

• Safety and Infrastructure monitoring,
• Safety and Infrastructure Analysis, and
• Safety and Infrastructure Implementation.

The ANB also leads ICAO’s efforts related to crises and contingencies.

Policy and Standardization

Under the organization’s Safety and Infrastructure Policy and Standardization strategy, the Air Navigation Bureau develops and maintains the Global Aviation Safety Plan and the Global Air Navigation Plan. These are put into action by all the sections within the ANB, all the Regional Offices of the organization as well as through Regional Aviation Safety Groups (RASGs) and Regional Planning and Implementation Groups (PIRGs) both of which include States and Aviation Partners from within a defined region.

Aviation risks are often complex and require a coordinated multi-disciplinary response with all stakeholders involved. Click on the safety initiatives listed on the left to find out more about how ICAO and its partners are addressing these

2. Air Transport Bureau

The Air Transport Bureau (click to view the Structure) supports the implementation of the Strategic Objectives of ICAO in particular: Security and Facilitation; Economic Development of Air Transport; and Environmental Protection. This Bureau also contributes towards Safety.

The Bureau works under the direction of the Council, Air Transport Committee, the Committee on Unlawful Interference and the Committee on Joint Support of Air Navigation Services. Secretariat support is provided to the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), which is a Committee of Council.

Aviation Security

ICAO plays an essential leadership role in the field of aviation security with the ultimate goal of enhancing civil aviation security worldwide. To this end, its efforts are focused primarily on developing and coordinating an effective global policy and legal framework in response to the evolving threat to civil aviation, conducting audits that identify aviation security shortcomings, and assisting States in implementing security Standards and resolving deficiencies.

Environment

In the environmental area, ICAO’s overall objective is to enhance the sustainability of international aviation operations by minimizing aircraft noise and the impact of engine emissions on local air quality and the global climate. In this field, ATB focuses on: quantifying the impact of aviation on the environment through the development of methodologies, tools, models and databases; and establishing policies, standards and recommended practices to address the impact of aviation on the environment through technological, operational and market-based measures.

Air Transport Economics

The Bureau’s activities in the economic fields are linked to the sustainability of air transport development. In this regard, the Bureau is responsible for developing, promoting and disseminating policies and guidance materials on major regulatory issues linked to the economic regulation and liberalization of international air transport and to the economics of airports and air navigation services. Of paramount importance is the availability of a wide range of reliable and robust aviation data. Towards this purpose, ATB manages the Statistics Programme, the forecasting activities and the economic studies, enabling the provision of authoritative information on present and future air transport development.

In addition to supporting the Strategic Objectives above, ATB administers:

-the Joint Financing Agreements with Denmark and Iceland for the provision certain North Atlantic air navigation services (DEN/ICE);

-the Arrangement on the Joint Financing of the North Atlantic Height Monitoring System (HMS);

-the Agreement on the Sharing of Costs of the Satellite Distribution System for information relating to Air Navigation (SADIS);

-the ICAO Public Key Directory is the main global distribution point for public signing key certificates from all issuers of ePassports.

ATB has also developed the Data Base Related to Air Transport (DBRAT) with a view to enhancing ICAO’s cooperation and assistance to Contracting States in the field of air transport.

3. Legal and External Affairs Bureau

Legal functions

The Bureau provides advice and assistance to the Secretary General and through him to Council and other bodies of the Organization and to ICAO Member States on constitutional, administrative and procedural matters, on problems of international law, air law, commercial law, labour law and related matters. The Bureau also conducts research and studies in the field of private and public international air law, prepares documentation for, and serves as the Secretariat of the Legal Committee: relevant bodies of the Assembly; and Diplomatic Conferences which adopt multilateral treaties on international air law.

The Bureau is responsible for the depositary functions of ICAO under several treaties, as well as the registration of agreements or arrangements pursuant to Articles 81 and 83 of the Chicago Convention.

The functions of the Legal Bureau also include cooperation and coordination in legal activities with the United Nations and other international organizations, including the implementation of ICAO’s Policy on Regional Cooperation involving Regional Organizations and regional civil aviation bodies.

External Relations functions

The Bureau is responsible for reviewing, advising on and coordinating ICAO’s relations with member and non-member States, the Organizations of the United Nations Common System and with other international organizations.

The Bureau monitors activities of the international system which are of mutual interest to ICAO, the United Nations and other international organizations, directs attention to international affairs and political developments which may affect ICAO, and makes arrangements for the representation of the Organization at meetings of other organizations.

The Bureau also provides policy guidance and advice on matters relating to the privileges and immunities granted to the Organization, national representatives and staff of the Secretariat. It acts as the focal point for ICAO’s relations with the Host States of the Organization’s Headquarters and of the Regional Offices, and is responsible for arranging and supervising the ICAO Familiarization Course.

4.Capacity Development and Implementation Bureau

ICAO’s Capacity Development and Implementation Programme provides advice and assistance in the development and implementation of projects across the full spectrum of civil aviation aimed at the safety, security, environmental protection, and sustainable development of national and international civil aviation. The Programme is conducted under the broad policy guidance of the ICAO Assembly and of the Council. Subject to general guidance by the Secretary General, the Capacity Development and Implementation Programme is executed by the Capacity Development and Implementation Bureau (CDI).

Since its establishment in 1952, CDI has implemented civil aviation projects with an accumulated value in excess of US$ 2 billion. With an average annual programme size of over US$ 120 million, it is involved in approximately 250 projects each year with individual project budgets ranging from less than US$ 20 000 to over US$ 120 million. To date, CDI has provided assistance to over 115 countries, deploying annually approximately 1200 international and national experts.

As part of ICAO, a non-profit organization, CDI can offer its services under most favorable and cost-effective condition and guarantees strict neutrality, objectivity, and transparency, as it does not represent any particular national or commercial interest, nor the interest of any donor in general. Its advice is therefore governed by objective technical and financial considerations.

5. Bureau of Administration and Services

The Bureau of Administration and Services (ADB) is responsible for providing the administrative support required by the Organization and plays a leading role in its effective and efficient administrative management. ADB guides ICAO towards results-based management and a performance-oriented organizational culture to meet the needs of Member States, industries and other customers as well as the general public.

The Bureau performs its functions through:

-Providing high-quality human resources and services as well as efficient administrative and management processes.

-Applying the highest standards of work ethics and conduct, and advancing human resource management to meet changing needs of the Organization.

-Using results-based management skills and tools to support the Organization in achieving its strategic objectives.

The Bureau of Administration and Services (ADB) is responsible for providing the administrative support required by the Organization and plays a leading role in its effective and efficient administrative management. ADB guides ICAO towards results-based management and a performance-oriented organizational culture to meet the needs of Member States, industries and other customers as well as the general public.

The Bureau performs its functions through:

• Providing high-quality human resources and services as well as efficient administrative and management processes.
• Applying the highest standards of work ethics and conduct, and advancing human resource management to meet changing needs of the Organization.
• Using results-based management skills and tools to support the Organization in achieving its strategic objectives.

High-Quality Human Resources

ADB focuses on the attraction, retention and motivation of a competent and diverse international workforce in order to meet the changing needs of the Organization. The Bureau promotes the highest standards of work ethics and conduct as well as effective performance management to support a results-oriented organizational culture. ADB is also committed to strategic training and staff development activities in order to ensure that staff develop and retain the highest level of technical knowledge and competencies which are required to serve the Organization.

Effective Information Management

ADB assumes a leading role in information management activities throughout the Organization. The Bureau aims at modernizing administrative processes by moving towards fully electronic workflows and a paperless environment. ADB also provides optimized IT services to the technical Bureaus of ICAO in order to support them in achieving the Organization’s strategic objectives.

Linguistic Excellence

ADB covers all the language requirements for the Organization, from interpretation for meetings to translation and publication services in the six working languages of ICAO. The Bureau delivers high-quality documentation in a timely manner and ensures parity among all six languages, both in terms of simultaneous distribution of documents and in the provision of skilled interpretation.

Other Core Activities

Other core activities of the Bureau relate to the management and the provision of services to the Governing Bodies and ICAO Secretariat in areas of meetings and conferences organization, office services, records and documents management and administration. All activities are exercised by encouraging a creative, open-minded approach to adopt best practices in order to modernize administration and services throughout the Organization.

6. ICAO Regional Offices:

Bangkok: Asia and Pacific (APAC) Office

• Cairo: Middle East (MID) Office
• Dakar: Western and Central African (WACAF) Office
• Lima: South American (SAM) Office
• Mexico: North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACC) Office
• Nairobi: Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) Office
• Paris: European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Office