Guidance on the Governance of Civil Aviation Authorities Project

The Foundation of Growth

For civil aviation to grow safely and sustainably, strong governance is as essential as modern aircraft or advanced technologies. Institutions must be resilient, independent, and trusted if they are to guide the sector through rapid change. In April 2023, States across the region recognized this challenge and committed to a transformation. Meeting in Santiago, they declared their intention to strengthen Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) through transparency, accountability, and independence. The message was clear: only with empowered regulators can aviation truly support connectivity, safety, and sustainability.

Turning Vision into Action

To turn this vision into action, ICAO partnered with the OECD to launch Project 2023-SAM/123, with an estimated budget of USD 216.000 for the development of Guidance on the Governance of Civil Aviation Authorities. Designed for regional application, the project leverages OECD’s regulatory indicators to benchmark governance practices and identify areas for improvement, and offer tools that States can use on strengthening their institutions.

Focusing on Fundamentals

The project focuses on the fundamentals of good governance: role clarity, financial resource management, independent decision-making, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. By promoting best practices, it helps CAAs safeguard independence, preserve institutional trust, and create decision-making structures resilient to political cycles. In doing so, it supports the creation of modernized legal frameworks, better human resource planning, and more efficient oversight processes.

A Future-Ready Framework

The aspirations of the SAM region go further: to embed governance frameworks that guarantee institutional autonomy by law, foster transparency through public consultations and impact studies, and harness innovation—such as digital tools and even artificial intelligence—to enhance regulatory processes. By modernizing governance, civil aviation becomes not just a regulator of safety, but a proactive enabler of growth, innovation, and resilience.

Support This Initiative

This is more than an administrative reform—it is the foundation for a safer, more sustainable, and future-ready aviation sector. Your support can help build institutions that can endure, inspire trust, and guide aviation confidently into the future. 

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