ICAO Turns Focus on Aviation Infrastructure

Chinedu Eze

The President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu has said that the international organisation is focusing on airport infrastructure in the next three years, 2017-2019 to ensure that member countries have developed airport infrastructure to enhance safety, security and comfort of passengers.

Aliu, who is a Nigerian, in an interview he granted after his re-election of President of ICAO Council, noted that as the industry continues to change, ICAO would ensure that it continues to support its member states.

“This is a dynamic industry and there will be dynamic challenges. We have to be ready to address all of this. But like I mentioned under the No Country Left Behind campaign, the next situation in the next three years; there will be a lot of focus on aviation infrastructure development to assist our member states, whether it is for the airport, for air navigational services, capacity building, to enhance regulatory oversight capacity in the states, to provide them more training; training to meet the dynamic changes in technology.

“Technology systems are going to be installed. Our members have to be trained on this. There will be a lot of focus on that. I also have indicated to the Council, we have to fast-track the development of a global plan on aviation security. Recently, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to support ICAO in this effort to address aviation security. So, aviation security has become part of global security,” Aliu said.

He noted that at the national level in every country, aviation security now must be seen as an integral part of national security and address as such; because the security of every nation starts right there at the airport.

“So, we want to work with our member states to work with our member states to address aviation security. Whether it is in terms of cyber security, landside security, the use of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) against aviation; we are going to work with member states on this,” the ICAO Council President added.