Salvatore Sciacchitano was re-elected by acclamation yesterday for a second three-year term as President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“While the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the Organization’s work, I take great pride in the fact that the priorities identified as part of my agenda for modernization have all been addressed with reasonable success,” Mr. Sciacchitano remarked in his acceptance address. “It is my firm belief that we must continue in this same direction in the next triennium in order to fully realize the modernization of our great Organization to the benefit of all Member States and the global aviation community.”
“The Vision of ICAO is to ‘Achieve the sustainable growth of the global civil aviation system’. But are we doing enough? Are the global aviation navigation, safety, and security plans and the other relevant ICAO activities sufficient? We need to look at whether ICAO should have a more concrete and ambitious vision, or more effective way to implement it, and if the Council of ICAO should outline a more tangible vision of global aviation of the future. These are reflections that I think this Council should make during this triennium,” he added.
Council President Sciacchitano underscored that the composition of the Council had changed since his first election in 2019, being composed of many new member States and their representatives. He therefore also provided a review of the realization of his initial priorities and strategies, noting that “the five key elements to my agenda for modernization focused on the internal working environment, governance, working methods, innovation and relations with industry, and an enhanced No Country Left Behind initiative,” and highlighting a wide variety of progress in each of these areas.
Mr. Sciacchitano first assumed the office of ICAO Council President on 1 January 2020. Prior to this, he was appointed to the Italian Delegation to ICAO, following an accomplished 39-year career in aviation, during which he served as Director General of the Italian Airworthiness Authority (RAI), as Deputy Director General of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), among many other high-level international positions.
As the governing body 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 Convention on International Civil Aviation . 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.
