Dr. Fang Liu highlighted that when considering the guidance contained in the updated Take-off Guidelines document, and the ICAO Manual on Testing and Cross-Border Risk Management Measures, countries were strongly encouraged to collaborate with each other regarding the Public Health Corridor (PHC) implementation.
MONTREAL – Speaking to the 7th Meeting of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Tourism Crisis Committee, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu emphasized that a combination of measures, coordinated between governments and industry, will be essential to the re-establishment of public confidence in air travel.
“I wish to reaffirm ICAO’s commitment to this re-establishment of public confidence in air travel, and to getting the world travelling again,” Dr. Liu commented. She added that the UN agency for civil aviation was accelerating the sector’s recovery to bring prosperity and sustainability back to Small Island, Landlocked, and the many other countries who rely so fundamentally on the socio-economic dynamics of transport and tourism.
Dr. Liu updated the tourism crisis committee on the new Phase II recommendations for air transport pandemic response and recovery, issued in early November by the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force, noting that these recommendations dealt mainly with aspects of general hygiene, masks and face coverings, health screening and declarations, air passengers with reduced mobility, and the mental health and well-being of aviation workers and passengers.
She also stressed they included a new recommendation for countries to evaluate the potential of personal passenger COVID-19 testing, as an alternative to quarantines, using ICAO’s new manual on Testing and Cross-border Risk Management Measures.
“The manual’s rapid development through our CAPSCA group, which includes the WHO, US and European Centres for Disease Control, and others, also benefitted on this occasion from the newest government and industry advice and lessons learned,” she underscored.
Dr. Liu also highlighted that when considering the guidance contained in the updated Take-off Guidelines document, and the ICAO Manual on Testing and Cross-Border Risk Management Measures, countries were strongly encouraged to collaborate with each other regarding the Public Health Corridor (PHC) implementation.
“ICAO has issued earlier advisories and resources supporting health corridor establishment, in addition to a new PHC Implementation Package in mid-November,” she said, “and PHCs are now helping countries and operators to realize some important and prudent first steps toward increased traveller confidence and sectoral recovery.”
Canada’s “Safer Skies” proposals to support regulators’ and operators’ conflict zone risk avoidance
Speaking at the inaugural “Safer Skies” forum on risks to civilian flights in conflict zones, ICAO Council President Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano emphasized that countries have endorsed Canada’s ‘Safer Skies’ proposals through the ICAO Council, and taken new diplomatic steps through ICAO in the area of conflict zone risk mitigation.
He also reiterated his deep regret that related diplomatic actions “became so urgent and so necessary this year because of the tragic loss of Ukraine Airlines Flight PS752.”
The President noted that the subject of civil aviation and military conflict zones is a complex one, and one which countries placed under renewed scrutiny through ICAO in 2014, following the tragic shoot down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.
At that time, governments established a special taskforce through ICAO, which elaborated a comprehensive conflict zone work programme the ICAO Secretariat would pursue.
“The review of ICAO Standards and guidance led to amendments being issued for five separate annexes to the Chicago Convention, and to the initiation or amendments of numerous supporting circulars and other guidance materials,” President Sciacchitano commented. “It also led to the successful development of an entirely new ICAO manual on Risk Assessment for Civil Aircraft Operations Over or Near Conflict Zones.”
Noting that ICAO has begun to address Canada’s “Safer Skies” proposals in earnest, President Sciacchitano highlighted that countries were being surveyed and that their responses would help define the next steps at the multilateral level, “and in helping to achieve greater focus and improved results on conflict zone risk mitigation in the future.”
“Governments and operators have key roles to play in helping to assure that future conflict zone risks don’t again lead to the loss of civilian lives, and the ICAO Council and Secretariat will continue to support and aid their efforts on behalf the billions of passengers each year who deserve the assurance of safer skies.”
The President thanked Canada’s Minister of Transport Mr. Marc Garneau for convening the event, and expressed the gratitude of ICAO Member States for Canada’s very proactive and determined efforts toward the realization of the ‘Safer Skies’ initiative.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
