International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): charter, members and structure of the organization

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

December 7, 1944, a significant event took place in the American city of Chicago. During long and intense negotiations, representatives of fifty-two countries adopted the Convention on International Civil Aviation. It says that the development of strong international ties in civil aviation contributes to the future progressive development of friendly relations, the preservation of peace and tranquility between the peoples of different states. Peace on earth depends on how strong and stable these ties will be. It follows that the main priority of the members of this Organization should be the observance of the principles of aviation security and the rules on the basis of which civil aircraft are operated.

The importance of this Organization is undeniable. But what is known about herpublic? 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 operation.

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 as follows: 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 established after the adoption of the Civil Aviation Convention. Since the meeting of representatives of future states was held in Chicago, its second (and perhaps more famous) name is the Chicago Convention. Date - December 7, 1944. The status of a specialized agency of the United Nations was granted to ICAO in 1947 and up to the present time it retains a certain freedom in terms ofmanagement and methods of implementation of the main tasks.

The main impetus for the development of aviation and subsequently the creation of an organization that controls its civilian industry, was the Second World War. In the period from 1939 to 1945, there was a particularly active development of transport routes, since it was necessary to meet the needs of the army and the 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 an effective model for the development of civil aviation. After preliminary negotiations with the allied states, it was decided to organize a convocation of representatives of 52 states to adopt a single convention on international civil aviation. The meeting took place on December 7, 1944 in Chicago. For five weeks, the delegates discussed many issues, a lot of work was done, the result of which was the Convention. It did not enter into force until April 1947, when it was ratified by the 26th ICAO Member State, by common consent of the delegates.

Members of the Organization

ICAO members include 191 states, among which the Russian Federation is listed as the successor of the USSR, which joined ICAO in 1977. This includes almost all UN members: 190 countries (excluding Dominica and Liechtenstein), as well as the Cook Islands.

In addition to direct participants, there are special industry groups whose goal is to create a global regulatory framework necessary for effective operationinternational civil aviation. It is important to note that there is a separate body, the Council, to reach consensus on the provision of International Standards and Recommended Practices. He is also engaged in the design of adopted standards in the form of Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. (We'll talk more about the rest of the Council's functions a little later.)

ICAO Charter

The Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) contains 96 articles and includes all changes made between 1948 and 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 carried out. The last 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 channels, archipelagic waters). All terms can be found independently on the official ICAO website. They are described in an accessible language, so they will be understandable even to those who are completely unfamiliar with aviation terminology.

In addition, there are 19 Annexes to the Convention that establish the International Standards and Recommended Practices mentioned above.

ICAO Goals and Objectives

44article of the Chicago Convention states that the main goals and objectives of the Organization stem from its desire to promote international cooperation through the strengthening of air traffic between Member States. This is in the following areas of its activities:

• Ensuring aviation security and safety of international air navigation.
• Encouraging and developing better ways to operate aircraft.
• Meeting society's need for regular, safe and economical air travel.
• Promoting the overall development of international civil aviation in all areas.

All identified goals and objectives are concisely presented in the strategic action plan of the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO:

• Increasing the efficiency of aviation.
• Flight safety and security in general.
• Minimizing the harmful impact of civil aviation on the environment.
• Continuity of aviation development.
• Strengthening the legal framework for ICAO.

ICAO institutional bodies (structure)

In accordance with the Chicago Convention, the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO has a clear structure. Article 43 states that it is composed of an Assembly, a Council and other organs necessary for its operation.

Assembly

The Assembly is made up of 191 States that are members of ICAO. It is a sovereign body that meets at least once every three years at the request ofCouncil. 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 the sessions of the Assembly, the current activities of the Organization are considered, the annual budget is adopted, and general guidelines for a certain period are formed.

Tip

The Council includes 36 states, which are elected once within three years. The following requirements serve as the determining selection criteria:

• The state should play an important role (ideally a leading one) in the field of aviation and air transportation;
• The state should contribute significantly to the development of international aviation and participate in the maintenance of air transport.
• The State should ensure representation in the Council of all geographical regions of the world.

The main purpose of the Council is for it to adopt International Standards and Recommended Practices. A standard is a specific technical requirement, the fulfillment of which is necessary in order to ensure the safety and regularity of international civil traffic. A 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 headed by a president elected by him for three years. His duties include convening meetings of the Council and carrying outfunctions that the Council entrusts to it during these meetings.

Air Navigation Commission

The Air Navigation Commission is composed of 19 members who are independent experts appointed by the Council to review and make necessary amendments to the Annexes.

Secretariat

The Secretariat helps ICAO organize the work. A particularly important role is assigned to the Air Transport Committee, the Joint Support Committee for Air Navigation Services and the Technical Cooperation Committee.

Regional Bodies

ICAO also includes seven Regional Committees which are endorsed by Member States and approved to implement ICAO International Standards and Recommended Practices:

• Asia Pacific (Bangkok).
• East and Southern Africa Committee (Nairobi).
• European and North Atlantic Committee (Paris).
• Middle East Office (Cairo).
• North American, Central American and Caribbean Committee (Mexico).
• South American Committee (Lima).
• West and Central Africa Committee (Dakar).

ICAO codes

A specially designed code system is used to designate each international airport and airline. For airports, codes consist of four letters, for airlines - three. So, for example, for Sheremetyevo airport the ICAO code is UUEE, for Aeroflot airline it is AFL. The latter has a telephone call sign for aircraft making international flights - AEROFLOT. On the officialOn the website, you can independently familiarize yourself with other equally interesting codes and find out their decoding.

ICAO, organized in the first years after the end of World War II, still does not lose its important status in the system of modern international organizations. Its activities are aimed at developing and strengthening existing interethnic ties, and maintaining peace and order on earth. All this is of fundamental importance today, when the he alth and lives of millions of people are in constant danger.