Montréal, 25 August 2017 – ICAO and Nepal have successfully partnered on resolving a Significant Safety Concern (SSC) in the Asia-Pacific State last month, following a comprehensive multilateral assistance effort coordinated under the UN agency’s No Country Left Behind initiative.
The aircraft operations SSC rectified through this cooperation was originally identified during a 2013 ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) mission. Nepal was prioritized for technical assistance by the ICAO Aviation Safety Implementation Assistance Partnership in 2015.
“By resolving this matter through coordinated capacity building, and with support from donor States and international organizations, ICAO and Nepal have helped to further improve the safety of Nepal’s operations,” remarked ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. “Our work under No Country Left Behind is specifically carried out so that States get the assistance and capacity building they need to achieve and benefit from ICAO-compliant global connectivity.”
The ICAO technical assistance project, launched in 2016, was implemented through a pre-agreed plan developed in conjunction with Nepal. Funding for the assistance programme was also collaborative, with local contributions being augmented by the ICAO Safety Fund (SAFE).
Nepal was also continuously supported throughout these recent efforts by the ICAO Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programme – South Asia (COSCAP-SA). The efforts of Nepal were further boosted by several visits by concerned technical experts from ICAO’s Regional Office in Bangkok, in addition to assistance provided by a team of experts under an ICAO Combined Action Team (CAT) mission to Nepal in 2016.
“We recognize and greatly appreciate the States and organizations which contribute resources to these efforts, whether directly or through their contributions to SAFE, and which collaborate so helpfully with us on improving civil aviation safety and other goals,” stressed ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. “By driving progress on ICAO’s Strategic Objectives through cost-effective collaboration, we are helping States to benefit from safe, secure and efficient air transport services, which in turn provides important support for the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and its ambitious Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.
ICAO’s No Country Left Behind initiative was launched in 2014 in aid of more effectively implemented ICAO civil aviation standards in the agency’s 191 Member States. It is presently driving a range of collaborative assistance and capacity-building initiatives in all ICAO Regions.
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A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States.
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