The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) concluded its second High Level Safety Conference (HLSC) yesterday, with over 850 participants from its Member States and industry showing strong and united support for the UN body"™s near- and long-term strategic planning and priorities for global aviation safety.
Besides forging global consensus on two particularly challenging emerging safety issues "“ flight tracking and conflict zone risk mitigation "“ the event also delivered clear affirmations for the objectives now being pursued in every world region under the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan.
Also recognized was the instrumental coordinating role now being performed by ICAO"™s Regional Aviation Safety Groups (RASGs), and that sector-wide safety performance is a critical prerequisite for the sustainable development of air transport and the social and economic development benefits it fosters in States and Regions.
"Importantly, our Member States have reinforced their collective responsibility for aviation safety at this event, and that its enhancement will only continue to be possible through cooperative, collaborative and coordinated efforts among all stakeholders under the leadership of ICAO," commented ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. "This is a clear testament to our ongoing mission and role and to the historic progress we have realized as a united global community."
As the world continues to respond to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Western Africa, the ICAO conference also stressed its recognition of the role played by aviation in responding to public health emergencies and the importance of collaboration between the aviation and public health sectors in preparedness planning and response to public health events.
Other key items recognized as requiring ongoing ICAO focus included the safe integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) into civilian airspace, the continued adoption of proactive safety management approaches in States, provisions on the sharing and protection of safety information, full and expedited implementation of Performance-based Navigation (PBN) regulatory oversight, and the need for all ICAO States to be sufficiently assisted so as to reach global minimum levels of effective safety oversight.
"With the outcomes of this Conference and those of the earlier Twelfth Air Navigation Conference, ICAO and the global air transport sector its serves have established a solid foundation and clear direction for aviation safety and for air navigation capacity and efficiency for some years to come," concluded ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin in his closing remarks.
