During its latest meeting, the 36 States of the ICAO Governing Council recognized the G20’s latest calls “to restart international travel in a safe and orderly manner,” and consistent with the work of ICAO, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other relevant international organizations.
In the meeting, which was taking place as part of the Council’s ongoing 224th Session, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano drew special attention to how the G20 calls were very closely aligned with the recent Ministerial Declaration by ICAO Member States at its High-level Conference on COVID-19 (HLCC).
“Whether with respect to its consideration of the primacy of national public health policies, or its focus on matters regarding testing, vaccination, and the need for mutually recognizable digital applications to certify health status across borders, the G20 priorities on restarting international travel closely parallel the ICAO HLCC Declaration and its unified vision for aviation recovery, resilience, and sustainability beyond the global pandemic,” President Sciacchitano noted.
Additional appreciation for the G20 emphasis on international connectivity recovery was provided by the current Chairperson of the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), Mr. Estanislao Esono of Equatorial Guinea, who noted the G20’s particular appreciation of the relevance of shared international standards to ensure seamless travel.
“Since the very outset of the pandemic,” Esono underscored, “the Council has been working intensively through the CART with national governments, industry, the WHO, UNWTO, and many other international health and aviation organizations, in order to best assure the efficient standardization and alignment of global response and recovery measures for international air transport.”
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar further acknowledged that the G20’s stressing of the essential role of transport personnel, and the need for a coordinated approach to the treatment of air, maritime and land crews, “were important reminders at a critical point in global pandemic and air transport recovery.”
“Reconnecting the world through the restoration and revitalization of air travel and trade is of fundamental importance to the most basic economic well-being of millions all over the world,” he highlighted, “as well as to help expand air cargo services when global supply chains now need them most.”
