Yearbook of the United Nations, 2003. 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 2003 to promote the safety and efficiency of civil air transport by prescribing standards and recommending practices and procedures for facilitating international civil aviation operations. Its objectives were set forth in annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, adopted in Chicago, United States, in 1944 (the Chicago Convention). In 2003, domestic and international scheduled traffic of the world's airlines increased to some 404 billion tonne-kilometres. Overall, passenger traffic increased by just over 1 per cent to some 1.66 billion, and freight carriage increased by almost 10 per cent to about 35 million tonnes. The passenger load factor on scheduled services in 2003 remained at approximately 71 per cent. Air freight increased by almost 5 per cent to 125.2 billion tonne-kilometres, and airmail traffic increased by 1 per cent to 4.6 billion tonne-kilometres. Overall passenger/freight/mail tonne-kilometres increased by almost 2 per cent, while there was little change in international tonne-kilometres. The Council of ICAO held three regular sessions in 2003. The thirty-fourth ICAO Assembly elected a new Council and, among other things, adopted a resolution to finance aviation security activities of member States. ICAO observed International Civil Aviation Day (7 December) under the theme “For 60 Years . . . Setting the Standards for International Civil Aviation”, to mark the creation of ICAO on that day in 1944. In 2003, ICAO membership remained at 188 countries.