On December 7, 1944, a significant event took place in the American city of Chicago. During lengthy and tense negotiations, representatives of fifty-two countries adopted the Convention on International Civil Aviation. It says that the development of strong international relations in civil aviation contributes to the future progressive development of friendly relations, maintaining peace and tranquility between the peoples of different states. The world on earth depends on how strong and stable these ties are. It follows that the main priority of the participants in this Organization should be compliance with the principles of aviation security and the rules on the basis of which civilian aircraft are operated.
The importance of this Organization is undeniable. But what is known to the general public about it? As a rule, not so much. In the article we will tell you more about what the ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization is, what is the history of its creation, the list of participants and the principles of activity.
What is ICAO?
Consider the abbreviation - ICAO. It is formed from the English version of ICAO, which stands for International Civil Aviation Organization, and is translated into Russian as "International Civil Aviation Organization". At the moment, it is one of the largest UN agencies, which is responsible for creating a global regulatory framework for ensuring the safety of international civil aviation.
ICAO is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. On the map below, you can see its exact location.
The official languages of the Organization are: English, Russian, French, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese. Note that it is the representative of China who currently holds the post of Secretary General of ICAO.
History of creation
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was created after the adoption of the Civil Aviation Convention. Since the meeting of representatives of future states was held in Chicago, the second (and perhaps better known) name is the Chicago Convention. Date is December 7, 1944. The status of a specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO received in 1947 and up to the present, retains a certain freedom in terms of management and methods of implementation of the main tasks.
The main stimulus to the development of aviation and subsequently the creation of an organization that controls its civilian industry was World War II. In the period from 1939 to 1945, especially active development of transport routes took place, since it was necessary to ensure the needs of the army and people. At the same time, militaristic tasks came to the fore, which hindered the development of peaceful relations on earth.
The United States was the first to propose creating an effective model for the development of civil aviation. After preliminary negotiations with the Union states, it was decided to convene representatives of 52 states to adopt a single Convention on International Civil Aviation. The meeting was held on December 7, 1944 in Chicago. For five weeks, delegates discussed many issues, a lot of work was done, the result of which was the Convention. By general agreement of the delegates, it entered into force only in April 1947, when it was ratified by the 26th ICAO Member State.
Members of the organization
The membership of ICAO includes 191 states, among which the Russian Federation is listed as the successor to the USSR, which joined ICAO in 1977. This includes almost all UN members: 190 countries (with the exception of Dominica and Liechtenstein), as well as Cook Islands.
In addition to direct participants, there are special industry groups whose purpose is to create a global regulatory framework necessary for the effective operation of international civil aviation. It is important to note that in order to reach a consensus regarding the provision of International Standards and Recommended Practices, a separate body exists - the Council. He is also engaged in the formulation of accepted standards in the form of Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. (We'll talk more about the other functions of the Council a little later).
ICAO Constitution
The Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) contains 96 articles and includes all the amendments made for the period from 1948 to 2006. It establishes the duties and privileges of ICAO members, indicates the sovereignty of the states of their own air territory. It is emphasized that all international flights must be coordinated with the state over whose territory they will be operated. The final article defines the basic concepts used in civil aviation. So, for example, "International Airspace" is defined as the space above the open sea and other territories with a special regime (Antarctica, international straits and canals, archipelagic waters). All terms can be found independently on the ICAO official website. They are described in an accessible language, so they will be understandable even to those who are not at all familiar with aviation terminology.
In addition, there are 19 Annexes to the Convention, which establish the International Standards and Recommended Practices mentioned above.
Goals and objectives of ICAO
The 44th article of the Chicago Convention states that the main goals and objectives of the Organization come from its desire to contribute to the development of international cooperation by strengthening air links between Member States. This lies in the following areas of its activities:
- Ensuring aviation safety and security of international air navigation.
- Promoting and developing better ways to operate aircraft.
- Meeting the needs of society for regular, safe and economical air traffic.
- Contributing to the overall development of international civil aviation in all areas.
All the stated goals and objectives are succinctly presented in the strategic plan of action of the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO:
- Improving aviation efficiency.
- Safety and aviation security in general.
- Minimizing the harmful effects of civil aviation on nature.
- Continuity of aviation development.
- Strengthening the legal regulation of ICAO.
ICAO Institutional Bodies (structure)
In accordance with the Chicago Convention, the ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization has a clear structure. Article 43 reports that it consists of the Assembly, the Council and other bodies necessary for its activities.
Assembly
The Assembly consists of 191 states that are part of ICAO. This is a sovereign body whose sessions take place at least once every three years at the request of the Council. During the discussion of a particular issue, each member has the right to one vote. Decisions are made directly on the basis of a majority vote.
At sessions of the Assembly, a review of the current activities of the Organization, the adoption of the annual budget, the formation of general guidelines for a certain period are taking place.
Tip
The Council includes 36 states, which are elected once for three years. The determining requirements are the following requirements:
- The state should play an important role (ideally a leading one) in the field of aviation and the implementation of air transportation;
- The state should contribute significantly to the development of international aviation and participate in the maintenance of air transport.
- The state must ensure representation in the Council of all geographical regions of the world.
The main purpose of the Council is to adopt International Standards and Recommended Practices. The standard is a special technical requirement, the implementation of which is necessary in order to ensure the safety and regularity of international civil traffic. Recommended practice is also a technical requirement, but unlike a standard, its implementation is not mandatory. Both standards and practices are contained in the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
The Council is led by a president elected by him for three years. His responsibilities include convening meetings of the Council and performing the functions that the Council entrusts to him during these meetings.
Air Navigation Commission
The Air Navigation Commission consists of 19 members, who are independent experts appointed by the Council to review and make the necessary amendments to the Annexes.
Secretariat
The Secretariat helps ICAO organize the work. A particularly important role is given to the Air Transport Committee, the Committee for the Joint Support of Air Navigation Support and the Technical Cooperation Committee.
Regional authorities
ICAO also includes seven regional committees that are approved by Member States and admitted to the implementation of ICAO International Standards and Recommended Practices:
- Asia Pacific Branch (Bangkok).
- East and South Africa Committee (Nairobi).
- European and North Atlantic Committee (Paris).
- Middle Eastern Office (Cairo).
- North American, Central American and Caribbean Committee (Mexico).
- South American Committee (Lima).
- Committee of West and Central Africa (Dakar).
