Egypt wins membership of ICAO Council with highest votes
By Mohamed Attia
Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas achieved great success in his first foreign visit after assuming the responsibility of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The minister headed the Egyptian delegation in the 41st General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in which delegations from 193 countries participated.
The successes achieved by the minister during his visit are many and varied, the most important of which is maintaining Egypt’s seat on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for the next three years for the “second category”.
Egypt obtained 156 votes to be the first in Africa and among the highest voting countries in the second category, which confirms the position that Egypt enjoys and its effective role in international and regional Organisations in the field of air transport industry.
According to the ICAO statute, the member states of the Organisation select 36 countries divided into three categories to form the ICAO Council, which is responsible for managing the affairs of the Organisation and setting the work strategy during the next three years. Each category consists of 12 countries, and the “first category” represents countries which are manufacturers of aircraft and aviation technology.
The “second category” in which Egypt won represents countries that have a major role in providing facilities in the field of civil aviation and air navigation. As for the “third category,” seats are distributed according to geographical areas.
Egypt was also chosen as Vice-Chairman of the Economic Committee of ICAO, where Engy El-Yazi, Presidential Advisor of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority and a former Egyptian delegate in ICAO, was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Committee, with the support of the African group represented by the African Aviation Commission “AFCAC”, where England submitted and supported the proposal African group.
The Economic Committee is one of the most important committees at ICAO, as it lays down general policies on issues related to the regulation and economic development of global air transport activity, in a way that supports the economic activities of the sector, as well as support for cross-border investments in airlines and the regulatory and economic aspects of airports and air navigation services to improve safety and efficiency levels.
Minister Abbas confirmed that the success achieved by Egypt’s winning of the membership of the ICAO Council enhances Egypt’s leading position at the regional and international levels.
The minister indicated the keenness of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance continuous co-operation and coordination with various countries to ensure the safety and sustainability of global civil aviation, pointing to Egypt’s active role in many important issues related to security, safety and environmental protection for the civil aviation sector at the international level.
The minister stressed that Egypt is committed to contributeing positively to enhancing the security, safety and environment of international aviation, developing the air transport industry, assuming its responsibilities in all fields of aviation, and supporting ICAO initiatives, as Egypt is proud to be one of the first founding countries to sign the Chicago Agreement and one of the founding countries of the Organisation and a member of the Council since its inception.
The Organisation’s regional office for the Middle East in Cairo was established in 1953 while the Organisation employed the first Egyptian, Arab and African to hold the position of Director of the Air Transport Sector at ICAO, as well as in the position of Vice-Chairman of the Environment Committee and the position of Vice-Chairman of the Organisation’s Economic Committee.
The minister explained that the Egyptian state has given great attention to the civil aviation sector, which is one of the main axes of economic development within the framework of the Egyptian state’s vision 2030 to achieve sustainable development, as the sector is witnessing a great development in infrastructure projects, increasing the capacity of airports, and strengthening procedures and measures.
In addition, 11 Egyptian airports obtained a certificate of safe and healthy travel and renewed it from the International Airports Council, which enhanced confidence in the system of procedures applied in Egyptian airports and contributed to the return of air and tourist traffic to Egypt and enhancing its position on the map of the world’s favorite tourist destinations.
Minister Abbas referred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s strategy to reduce environmental pollution, reduce carbon emissions, and use new and renewable energy in accordance with the vision of the Egyptian state and in conjunction with Egypt’s hosting of the COP27 global climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh next November.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is a package of preferential measures and exemptions, providing fair and equal opportunities for all airlines to practice air transport activity efficiently and operate new points for many countries within the framework of stimulating air and tourism traffic to Egypt.
On the other hand, and on the sidelines of the Egyptian delegation’s participation in the ICAO General Assembly, Minister Abbas discussed with Salvatore Chachitano, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of ICAO, ways to enhance bilateral co-operation.
The minister also met with Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport of Qatar, where the two ministers exchanged visions on the most important issues related to air transport and civil aviation.
