Strategic Objective — Security and Facilitation — Cooperation with other United Nations Bodies and International Organizations

Cooperation with other United Nations Bodies and International Organizations

ICAO worked closely with international organizations, such as the United Nations Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). ICAO augmented CTED teams with expertise in aviation security for State visits and provided CTED with relevant, mission-specific information.

ICAO participated in the CTC’s Extraordinary meeting in Madrid regarding Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) on stemming the flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs). Taking place in July, this meeting was attended by over 400 experts and Member State representatives, including from those States most affected by foreign terrorist fighters. In order to advance the follow-up on the resolution, three principal themes were discussed:

detection, intervention against, and prevention of incitement, recruitment, and facilitation of foreign terrorist fighters;

ii)

prevention of foreign terrorist fighters’ travel, including through operational measures, the use of Advance Passenger Information (API), and strengthening border security; and

iii)

criminalization, prosecution (including prosecution strategies for returnees), international cooperation, and the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees.

The meeting recommended that Member States consider:

providing dedicated resources and automated tools, including API, access to watch lists, and centralized databases;

introducing measures and practices to enhance the capacities of competent border authorities, including with respect to the type of information required at the border, the sources of information, and the methodologies for its processing in order to detect potential FTFs, and consider sharing this information with competent authorities;

as API is an essential source of information about passengers, both prior to their departure and prior to their arrival, standardizing the data transmitted and the means of transmittal; establishing a single point of collection of the information; and using interactive API.

ICAO is working closely with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the World Customs Organization (WCO) and CTED to establish the way forward, particularly with regard to the implementation of those recommendations relating to API.

ICAO and the WCO held a Joint Workshop on Air Cargo Security and Facilitation at the ICAO Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand, to examine the international air cargo security supply chain and its governing rules and standards. The workshop was attended by 58 participants representing customs and aviation security authorities from 28 States, as well as representatives from IATA and the Asian-Pacific Postal Union. The workshop also provided participants with the opportunity to share experiences and identify synergies in customs and civil aviation air cargo security processes with the aim of identifying areas for enhancing existing security provisions and the facilitation of the air cargo industry. ICAO also delivered a training module on air cargo security. This was delivered as part of the initial United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)/WCO course that was designed to set in place an effective inter-agency law enforcement structure for strengthening the prevention of acts of unlawful interference and minimizing the exploitation of cargo for illicit drug trafficking and smuggling.