Montréal, 26 March 2020 – ICAO’s Council President and Secretary General welcomed the G20 leaders’ statement on COVID-19 today, including its underscoring of how this unprecedented pandemic serves as “a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities.”
“From the standpoints of travel and trade, global interconnectedness relies significantly on the unmatched speed and reliability of international civil aviation,” noted ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano.
“I was encouraged to see the strong financial commitments the G20 has now established to aid in the global recovery from COVID-19, and that the sectors most gravely impacted by current pandemic mitigation measures will be prioritized going forward.
International air transport is clearly suffering very acutely as personal and global mobility continues to be curtailed, and in light of its instrumental role in worldwide response in times of crisis I am greatly encouraged that relief may soon be on the way.”
ICAO Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, applauded the G20 statement’s highlighting of the need for “bold and large-scale fiscal support,” and the hope that “the magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth.”
“Aviation connectivity is critical to successful global recovery from COVID-19,” she said, “and especially with respect to ensuring the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products, and other goods and services across borders, as well as resolving disruptions to global supply chains.
The G20 leaders have specifically stressed the need to address these capabilities urgently, and ICAO has already begun to answer its calls to facilitate the return to normalized international trade on a coordinated and cooperative basis.”
The two leaders also reiterated that ICAO joins the G20 Leaders’ Summit in standing ready to take any action necessary and to continue to work on the basis of solidarity and effective international cooperation with the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international and industry organizations.
Resources for Editors
ICAO information on COVID-19 Economic Impacts
ICAO COVID-19 online information portal
Aviation benefits and their positive impact on UN SDG realization
About ICAO
A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 193 Member States.
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William Raillant-Clark
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