International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

CONTENTS: 1.About 2.The Foundation 3.Vision and Mission 4.Head 5.The Council 6.Functions of the Council

About:
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations,which was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations which are necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 190 Member States.

The foundation:
The foundation of ICAO was the consequence of the studies initiated by the United States with subsequent consultations between the Major Allies. The US government extended an invitation to 55 States or authorities to attend, in November 1944, an International Civil Aviation Conference in Chicago. Fifty-four States attended this Conference which resulted in the formation of a Convention on International Civil Aviation which was signed by 52 States. Hence, a permanent International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a means to secure international co-operation an highest possible degree of uniformity in regulations and standards, procedures and organisation regarding civil aviation matters came into existence. At the same time the International Services Transit Agreement and the International Air Transport Agreement were signed.The most important work accomplished by the Chicago Conference was in the technical field because the Conference laid the foundation for a set of rules and regulations regarding air navigation as a whole which brought safety in flying a great step forward and paved the way for the application of a common air navigation system throughout the world.

Vision and Mission :

As mentioned above ICAO is the global forum for civil aviation. It works to achieve its vision of safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation through the cooperation of its Member States.

Head:
The first president of the council of ICAO was Mr. E. warner(1947-1957). The Council of ICAO
elected Roberto Kobeh Gonzlez (Mexico) as its President, beginning 1 August 2006. He was re-elected on 19 November 2007 and again on 15 November 2010 for a second three-year term.

The Council :
The Council is a permanent body of the Organization which is responsible to the Assembly and comprises of 36 Contracting States elected by the Assembly for a three-year term. In the election, adequate representation is given to States of chief importance in air transport, States not otherwise included but which make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for international civil air navigation and States not otherwise included whose designation will ensure that all major geographic areas of the world are represented on the Council.

Functions of the council : 1.The Council is to convene the Assembly, which meets at least once every three years to review in detail, the work of the Organization in the technical, economic, legal and technical co operation fields. 2.It also provides guidance to the other bodies of the Organization. 3.The Council also gives continuing direction to the work of ICAO. 4.One of its major duties is to adopt international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and to incorporate these as Annexes to the Chicago Convention.