ICAO Council, IATA endorse new global aviation security plan

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The first International Civil Aviation Organization Global Aviation Security Plan (ICAO GASeP), established this week by the ICAO Secretariat, has been endorsed by the ICAO Council and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The ICAO GASeP aims to improve international coordination, response, and planning to counter threats to civil aviation passengers, cargo, aircraft, and facilities, said ICAO in a release.

The plan calls for action at the global, regional, and national levels by states, industry, and other stakeholders in raising the level of implementation of the Convention on International Civil Aviation’s Annex 17, which deals with aviation security.

GASeP creates a framework for states to incorporate Annex 17 responsibilities into their national civil aviation security programs in four focus areas: risk awareness and response; security culture; technology enhancement and innovation; and security oversight and cooperation among states and with local organizations.

“This new strategic document will assist ICAO Member States in their aviation security coordination with other States and applicable security agencies, as well as helping to nurture security cultures and capabilities, place greater focus on the role of new technologies and innovations, and refine related frameworks for oversight and quality assurance,” affirmed ICAO Council president Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.

ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu further confirmed that a roadmap outlining 94 tasks, accompanying 32 actions under five key priority outcomes, will be central to the new global plan’s roll out. These lay the groundwork for objectives over the next three years until the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly in 2019.

A set of indicators and target dates have also been established, and all associated targets and outcomes will be regularly reviewed and adjusted, taking into account all new and emerging aviation security threats.

Following its first review of the new GASeP in June 2017, the Council authorized its transmission to ICAO member states and international organizations for comment. Ninety-six percent of those replies indicated agreement with its scope and purpose, as well as the related strategies and global targets, which will continue to be refined.

“The ICAO Secretariat has developed this strategic document on an accelerated basis to answer the call of ICAO’s Council and Member States and the respective commitments and actions of national governments will now be essential to its overall impact and value,” said Liu.

“This new Global Aviation Security Plan will now take its place alongside ICAO’s existing Global Plans for aviation safety and system-wide capacity and efficiency, and importantly it directly responds to various resolutions and expectations regarding aviation security and terrorism which have been expressed to ICAO by the United Nations Security Council.”

IATA backs plan

Meanwhile the IATA in a statement urged the swift implementation by states of the first GASeP.

“Flying is secure, but it is also clear that aviation faces security challenges. GASeP has the potential to strengthen security globally by providing governments with a global plan to which they can align their national efforts. The critical factor is implementation. It must be quick, comprehensive and global. The industry congratulates ICAO and its member states for putting the plan together. Industry is ready to support its swift implementation,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO.

GASeP, if comprehensively implemented, will address four key elements to improve security, said de Juniac. These are closer government-to-government cooperation to eliminate the long-term challenges of extraterritorial measures; the universal application of global standards; better information-sharing among governments and with industry; and the efficient implementation of new and existing technology capabilities.

“We have great expectations for GASeP. But states are sovereign and there is no global security regulator. So governments must fully feel the weight of their responsibility to protect the security of 4 billion travelers each year. To stay a step ahead of the threats, governments must incorporate GASeP into their national plans and cooperate through ICAO to make sure that the global system works,” said de Juniac.

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