Yearbook of the United Nations, 2001. Part 6, Intergovernmental organizations related to the United Nations. Chapter 9, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Abstract

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) continued in 2001 to promote the safety and efficiency of civil air transport by prescribing standards and recommending practices and procedures for facilitating civil aviation operations. Its objectives were set forth in annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, adopted in Chicago, Illinois,United States, in 1944, known as the Chicago Convention. In 2001, domestic and international scheduled traffic of the world's airlines decreased to some 385.4 billion tonne-kilometres, the first decrease since 1991. The airlines carried about 1.62 billion passengers and some 28.7 million tonnes of freight. The passenger load factor on scheduled services in 2001 decreased to 69 per cent. Airfreight decreased by 6 per cent to 110.7 billion tonne-kilometres, and airmail traffic decreased by 13 per cent to 5.3 billion tonne-kilometres. Reported monthly figures suggested that, up to September 2001, there had been little change in overall passenger/freight/mail tonne-kilometres over the same period in 2000; however, following the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States (see p. 60), data for 2001 showed a total traffic decrease. The thirty-third ICAO Assembly (Montreal, Canada, 25 September–5 October) elected a new Council and adopted 31 resolutions dealing with safety and security and other issues of international civil aviation. In the light of the 11 September terrorist attacks, the Assembly adopted a resolution strongly condemning the misuse of civil aircraft as weapons of destruction and calling for strengthened programmes of aviation security measures by States and ICAO. The Council of ICAO held three regular sessions in 2001. In September, it made preparations for the ICAO Assembly's review of the organization's current policy regarding aviation security. On 22 October, the Council established a Special Group on Aviation War Risk Insurance, which held its first meeting in Montreal on 6 and 7 December. At the Assembly's request, the Council decided in November to convene a ministerial conference on aviation security in February 2002. ICAO celebrated International Civil Aviation Day (7 December) under the theme “Flight Between Nations—Dialogue Between Peoples”. In 2001, ICAO membership increased to 187 countries.