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ICAO - 32nd General Assembly Session

Working paper 4 reveals the proposed amendments to the 'Consolidated Statement of Continued ICAO policies related to the safeguarding of International Civil Aviation against Acts of Unlawful Interference', which is now Resolution A31-4.

Of significance is an approved addition to Appendix D, regarding technical measures, whereby the Council is requested to "assume the co-ordination role in collaboration with aviation security donor states or the regional/sub-regional training facilities to ensure training standards are maintained and sound levels of co-operation are achieved". This would seem to suggest that the donor states have a key role, due to their status, in defining or influencing the contents of the training standards.

Appendix F is also amended, and approved by the Assembly, regarding assistance to states in the implementation of technical measures for the protection of international civil aviation. The Assembly "urges all contracting states to take into account availability of ICAO approved regional/sub-regional aviation security training facilities for the purpose of enhancing training standards". The universal use of ICAO approved training facilities will assist the organisation in their mission to set international standards.

The updated 'Consolidated statement' becomes Resolution A32-22.

Working Paper 5, of the 32nd Session, reports on the continued implementation of the Mechanism. There are a number of points to highlight in this regard relating to mechanism activities and a future implementation strategy:
  • Suggested concentration on 'the identification, co-ordination and promotion with, donor states participation, of the development of regional aviation security training facilities capable of providing a range of AVSEC instruction to states utilizing training material developed by ICAO'. Once again this illustrates the influential role donor states maintain in decisions concerning training and what aspects this will cover.
  • In a similar vein, the role of 'short term experts' allows for a similar influence by donor states to be exerted. The ICAO established a short-term expert (STE) programme under which donor states 'release AVSEC experts from within their respective administrations for short periods of time'. At the time of this document, there were 114 experts drawn from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Spain and the US.
  •  With regard to future activities, a commitment to focus on a thorough implementation of the Annex 17 SARPs is deemed to increase the effectiveness of the Mechanism, and training initiatives must be designed to enhance compliance with the Annex's provisions.
  • The working paper also reveals that responsibility for the implementation of the mechanism lies with the 'Security Implementation and Assistance Section' (of the Council) which comprises of 5 professional officers. These positions are funded by the U.S., the U.K. and France and will continue to be funded by these states for the next three years.
  • Appendix C outlines the source of funding for the Mechanism and illustrates the considerable funding for the Mechanism provided by the US.

Working Paper 106 of the 32nd Session presented before the Executive Committee concerns the continuation of ICAO policies related to safeguarding civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference and the 'Mechanism for Financial and Technical Assistance'. This is presented by the Airports Council International (ACI). The ACI relays a few statistics for acts of unlawful interference and summarises the threat posed to civil aviation and which according to the ACI "underscores the need for airports to have effective profiling systems in place in addition to sophisticated detection equipment", adding that "the case for heightened levels of vigilance has never been stronger". ACI advocates the universal and consistent implementation by contracting states of the provisions of Annex 17 in accordance with ICAO's policies on aviation security through the continuation of the mechanism for financial, technical and material assistance to states. See 'external relations' for more information on the ACI.