Council President commends Central American leadership and cooperation

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Acknowledging El Salvador’s leadership as an emerging air transport hub in remarks to Aero Expo 2023, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano welcomed its exemplary decision to place the sustainable development of its air transport sector at the heart of its development strategy.  

 

His address was attended by El Salvador’s Ministers of Tourism and Economy, Ms. Morena Valdez and Ms. Maria Luisa Hayem, respectively, and the Representative of El Salvador and the Central America and Panama Rotation Group on the ICAO Council, Ms. Katherin Martínez.

 

In his remarks and at subsequent meetings, the Council President advocated for continued cooperation regionally and with ICAO as a means of heightening the implementation of ICAO’s safety, security, and sustainability standards and plans.

 

Mr. Sciacchitano underscored that continued capacity building and heightening of ICAO implementation would be key to accelerating progress, as States in the region meet the challenges of pandemic recovery and the opportunities presented by the rapid pace of innovation, including towards the total decarbonization of flight.

 

The President’s mission to El Salvador, which took place on 10 and 11 October 2023, was followed by a mission to Belize from 11 to 12 October.

 

His activities comprised high level meetings with the leadership of Central American Corporation of Air Navigation Services (COCESNA), including the President of its board of Directors and its CEO, Messrs. Francisco Sol and Juan Carlos Trabanino, respectively, and the heads of the region’s Civil aviation authorities (CAAs), including the President of El Salvador’s Civil Aviation Executive Board and Executive Director CAA, Messrs Homero Morales and Jorge Puquirre, respectively.

 

Discussions with COCESNA in Belize focused on the importance of regional integration in the aviation sector, the need to continue to build upon achievement of COCESNA’s Regional Safety Oversight Organization, known as the Central American Safety Agency, and the need to continue progress on the decarbonization of air transport.

 

In Belize, he also met the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Cordel Hyde;; the Minister of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, Mr. Andre Perez; the CEO of Blue Economy and Aviation, Ms. Kennedy Carillo; and the Director General of Civil Aviation of Belize, Mr. Nigel Carter.

 

The Council President was accompanied throughout both missions by ICAO’s Regional Director for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, Mr. Christopher Barks.