Established in 1944 as a specialized agency of the United Nations, the ICAO has pioneered significant and lasting developments in global civil aviation. Its principal function is to ensure the orderly development of international civil aviation and the global implementation of its rules by developing international standards and policies relating to aviation safety and security.

The ICAO is bound by the United Nations decisions on political matters such as sovereignty and recognition. Neither the ICAO Council nor the Assembly takes decisions independently of the UN on such matters, and, in accordance with established practice, the 36-member Council seeks to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, decisions that may have political implications. Such issues are generally addressed through the mediation efforts of the President of the Council.

Through general communications addressed to all Member States (State Letters), ICAO may invite States to become parties to various agreements introduced in the field of international civil aviation, as well as to amendments made to the Chicago Convention and its Annexes, with a view to harmonizing and unifying certain international civil aviation rules. However, the ICAO does not invite or encourage any specific country to become party to a particular agreement.

The 1944 Chicago Convention establishing ICAO and its 19 Annexes are binding only upon states in terms of their provisions. Nevertheless, the Convention also contains certain provisions requiring states parties to impose sanctions on airline operators that undertake commitments or acts contrary to the Convention.

In addition to its existing functions under the Chicago Convention concerning global civil aviation, the ICAO Council is also empowered to decide, upon application by the states concerned, on disputes between two or more contracting states relating to the interpretation or application of the Convention and its Annexes, where such disputes cannot be resolved through negotiation. Any contracting state may appeal a decision of the Council of this nature either to an ad hoc arbitral tribunal accepted by the other parties to the dispute or to the International Court of Justice.

In summary, all necessary rules concerning the safety and security of civil aviation are established by the ICAO, while their implementation at the national level is monitored through mechanisms established within the Organization. Since failure by a country to comply with rules governing the safety or security of international civil aviation may result in restrictions on international flights to that country -thereby causing losses in many sectors linked to civil aviation- member states endeavor to comply with the ICAO rules to the broadest extent possible.

At the global level, aviation safety and security, environmental protection, the use of advanced technologies in air transport, and sustainable aviation are among the ICAO’s priority areas.

Moreover, one of the ICAO’s principal functions is to provide guidance to member states on matters relating to international air transport and, based on the principle of “No Country Left Behind,” to offer capacity-building and training assistance to countries in need.