International community adopts landmark declaration on aviation security and cybersecurity

A landmark declaration strengthening global aviation security and cybersecurity measures was adopted at ICAO Security Week 2024 in Muscat, Oman on 11 December 2024. Some 31 Ministers and high-level officials endorsed this crucial step forward in protecting international civil aviation.

A powerful result of intense advocacy and leadership by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Muscat Declaration urges States to strengthen efforts against both traditional and emerging threats, including insider threats and cyber-attacks. It calls for aviation security and cybersecurity to receive the same high priority and support as other aspects of civil aviation operations, while emphasizing the need for risk-based and outcome-focused policies to guide the development of sustainable security measures.

"We cannot stand still," stated ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano in his opening address to the Ministerial Segment. "We must innovate and evolve to counter both new and existing threats. This is why we have gathered here today - to reaffirm our commitment to aviation and cyber security, and to unite in protecting our critical infrastructure."

The Declaration places particular emphasis on information sharing for threat assessment and prevention, the development of qualified security professionals, and the implementation of ICAO's Aviation Cybersecurity Strategy. It also advocates for States to ratify the Beijing Convention and Protocol of 2010 as crucial instruments for deterring and responding to attacks against civil aviation.

The Declaration calls for enhanced regional cooperation through programmes such as the Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Security and Facilitation in Africa and the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme for the Middle East. These initiatives support ICAO's "No Country Left Behind" goal by providing targeted assistance and capacity-building to States in need.

"This Declaration ensures that this meeting will be seen as a significant milestone in our aviation security journey," remarked ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar in his closing address to the Ministerial Segment. "Together, we have reaffirmed our dedication to safeguarding our skies with determination, ambition, and unity of purpose."

Security Week Context and Achievements

The Declaration was adopted during ICAO Security Week, held for the first time outside ICAO Headquarters. The Civil Aviation Authority of Oman's generous hosting of the event is a salient illustration of its commitment to this priority, as also demonstrated through its chairpersonship of the Middle East Regional Aviation Security & Facilitation Group and its dynamic contributions to global aviation security initiatives.

The gathering coincided with several organizational milestones, including the 80th anniversary of the signature of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, and the 50th anniversary of the Convention’s Annex 17 on Aviation Security. During the week, ICAO also unveiled the second edition of its Global Aviation Security Plan, which sets an ambitious target for States to reach or surpass 75 percent Effective Implementation of aviation security Standards by 2033.

The Declaration will guide preparatory work for the 42nd ICAO Assembly in 2025, driving the review of consolidated policies on Aviation Security and strengthening resolutions on cybersecurity.

Bilateral and multilateral meetings

On the margins of the event, ICAO leadership held several high-level bilateral meetings. ICAO Council President Sciacchitano met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Thani, Qatar Minister of Transport; Capt. Zhenjiang Hu, Deputy Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC); and H.E. Eng. Said bin Hamood bin Said Al Mawali, Oman Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology.

Secretary General Salazar held discussions with David P. Pekoske, TSA Administrator; Dr. Abdulsalam Saleh Hamid Hadi, Yemen Minister of Transport; representatives from China and Oman; and Magda Kopczyńska of the EU Air Transport Directorate, DG MOVE.