International Civil Aviation Organisation

• International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency, established in 1944, which laid the foundation for the standards and procedures for peaceful global air navigation.
  
  • The Convention on International Civil Aviation was signed on 7^th December 1944 in Chicago.
  • It established the core principles permitting international transport by air, and also led to the creation of the ICAO.
• Its one of the objectives is to foster the planning and development of international air transport so as to ensure the safe and orderly growth of international civil aviation throughout the world.
• India is among its 193 members.
• It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Functions:

• ICAO is dedicated to developing safe and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes and ensuring a reasonable opportunity for every state to operate international airlines. 
• It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security and facilitation, efficiency, and economic development of air transport as well as to improve the environmental performance of aviation. 
• It also serves as a clearinghouse for cooperation and discussion on civil aviation issues among its 193 member states.
• It also promotes regional and international agreements aimed at liberalizing aviation markets.
• It helps to establish legal standards to ensure that the growth of aviation does not compromise safety, and encourages the development of other aspects of international aviation law.

Chicago Convention Overview:

•  Purpose: Established foundational principles for international civil aviation, creating the ICAO to oversee and harmonize global aviation standards.
•   Main provisions: Regulates aspects like airspace, aircraft registration, aviation safety, security, and environmental sustainability, along with detailing signatory rights in air travel.
•  Establishment: Signed on December 7, 1944, in Chicago by 52 nations and went into effect on April 4, 1947, when ICAO formally began operations.
•  Global participation: As of March 2019, the Convention includes 193 countries, comprising nearly all UN member states, except Liechtenstein, although it is extended there through Switzerland’s ratification.
•  Non-UN member: The Cook Islands participates in the Convention despite not being a UN member