Caption: Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President, ICAO Council, (top), and Dr. Fang Liu, Secretary General, ICAO, (bottom), encouraged States to enhance their commitments to the sustainable development of aviation in their remarks at the 5th ICAO World Aviation Forum, held recently
Twenty-four Ministers of Transport attending ICAO’s World Aviation Forum agreed to heighten innovation in the aviation sector as a means to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, including the need to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
“We are fully aware of, and welcome the potential of these technological and regulatory innovations, to significantly accelerate the realization of socio-economic benefits and improve environmental performance through a seamless air transport system,” stated the Ministers in a joint Outcome Document signed by Ministerial-level delegates representing Armenia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Congo, Finland, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Senegal, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
The President of the ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, successfully set the stage for their joint declaration through his opening remarks: “Frontier technologies already at hand could be instrumental to accelerating how quickly civil societies can realize the significant socio-economic and environmental benefits provided by ICAO compliant air transport system,” he declared.
Citing the potential of emerging aviation technologies to provide an opportunity for “leapfrogging to better bridge the technological divides between developed and developing countries,” the President called for cooperation among all stakeholders to identify and evaluate the effects of these new technologies, accurately estimate the future demand and costs incurred for using them, and to mobilize and secure necessary resources, including through appropriate strategic and regulatory frameworks.
“It is of paramount importance that we realize together an effective and balanced approach capable of engaging innovators and fostering innovation, while at the same time safeguarding needs relating to consumer protection, regulatory and policy enforcement, legal security for businesses, in addition to fair and sustainable economic and social development,” remarked President Aliu.