The convention providing for the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organisation was drawn up by the International Civil Aviation Conference held in Chicago from November 1 to December 7, 1944.
A Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation (PICAO) functioned from 6 June, 1945 until the formal establishment of ICAO. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was formally established on April 4, 1947 as a specialised agency of the United Nations.
ICAO has a membership of over 130 governments joined for the common purpose of promoting civil aviation on a global scale. The headquarters of the organisation are located at Montreal, Canada The organisation has its regional offices in Mexico city, Lima, Paris, Dakar, Cairo and Bangkok.
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The International Civil Aviation Organisation representing over 130 governments of various countries throughout the world provides the machinery for the achievement of greater global cooperation in the matters of civil aviation. Over the years the organisation has achieved great success in various matters relating to civil aviation.
Objectives:
The main objectives of the organisation are to develop the principles and the techniques of international air navigation and to foster the planning and development of international air transport with a view to:
(i) Ensure the safe and orderly growth of international civil aviation throughout the world;
(ii) Encourage the arts of aircraft design and operation for peaceful purposes;
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(iii) Encourage the development of airways, airports and navigation facilities for international civil aviation;
(iv)Meet the needs of the people of the world for safe, regular, efficient, economical air transport;
(v) Prevent economic waste caused by unreasonable competition;
(vi) Ensure that the rights of contracting countries are fully respected and that every contracting country has a fair opportunity to operate international airlines;
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(vii) Avoid discrimination between contracting countries;
(viii) Promote safety of flight in international air navigation,
(ix) Promote generally the development of all aspects of international civil aeronautics.
In addition to the above, the International Civil Aviation Organisation through its various proposals tries for the reduction of customs, immigration, public health and other formalities in order to facilitate air transportation.
As part of the United Nations Development of Programme, the organisation provides technical assistance to states in developing civil aviation Programmes.
Development regional plans for ground facilities and services needed for international flying is other important function of the Organisation. The Organisation disseminates air transport statistics d prepares studies on aviation economics.
It also fosters the development of air law conventions organization of ICAO he principal organ of ICAO is an Assembly. The Assembly consists of all the members of the organization and is the sovereign body of ICAO. It meets every three years and reviews in detail the work of the Organisation. It sets the policy for the next three years.
The Organisation has a council which comprises 30 states and is elected by the Assembly for a period of three years. While fleeting the states, the Assembly gives adequate representation to:
(i) Member states of major importance in air transport;
(ii) Those member states not otherwise included which make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for the international civil air navigation; (iii) Those member states not otherwise included and whose election will ensure that major geographical areas of the world are represented.
As a governing body, the council gives continuous direction to the work of the organisation. The main subsidiary bodies are: the Air Navigation Commission, composed of 12 members elected the council; Air Transport Committee, open to council members; and the Legal Committee, on which all members of ICAO may be represented.
A close look at the range of activities and objectives of both International Air Transport Association and International Civil Aviation Organisation indicates that they play a key role in the growth and development of international air transport.
Their role since inception has been that of fostering the growth of air transport. Although not directly concerned with tourism, they have, however, played an important role in its growth over the years by way of encouraging air transport.
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