Strategic Objective A – Safety – Regional Safety Coordination

Regional Safety Coordination

Regional Arrangement for Safety Oversight including Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs)

— RSOO financing — Guidance in the Safety Oversight Manual (Doc 9734), Part B

The third edition of this manual provides additional and more detailed guidance on the financing of a Regional Safety Oversight Organization (RSOO) based on the outcomes of the Symposium on RSOOs in 2011 (www.icao.int/Meetings/RSOOSYMPO/Pages). Relevant stakeholders have participated in the development of the guidance. The new funding options provide more practicable means to mobilize the funds required for fulfilling mandates of an RSOO by including, among other information, the potential use of an air safety charge, at the discretion of the RSOO and its Member States, emphasizing the need for strict safeguards, such as accountability and transparency to those Member States of an RSOO that are willing to make use of such a mechanism. A list of RSOOs can be found on the ICAO public website.

Assistance to States – 28 ICAO/State Plans of Action

To assist States in resolving safety deficiencies identified by the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP), ICAO has developed State-specific tailored Plans of Action, proposing a set of comprehensive remedial actions from the technical and political aspects. As of November, ICAO had developed 28 Plans of Action that have been accepted by the States for implementation. The Plans take into account, to avoid duplication of effort, all assistance efforts made by other international entities, such as the European Union, the United States Federal Aviation Administration, The World Bank, etc. The Plans of Action for States are available on the ICAO public website.

SAFE Fund Voluntary Contributions Received

The SAFE Fund, pursuant to Assembly Resolution A37-16: The Safety Fund, was established to ensure continued assistance to States in resolving safety-related deficiencies. Participation in the fund, which is financially independent of the ICAO Regular Programme Budget, is voluntary and contributions are welcome from ICAO Member States, international organizations, and public and private entities associated with international civil aviation. In 2013, ICAO received contributions from Chile, China, Malaysia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia, totalling CAD 463 579.

In 2013, Chile, China, Malaysia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and Boeing made voluntary contributions to the ICAO SAFE Fund. These donor funds are contributing to the financing for the implementation of projects related to aviation safety which are selected based on established project selection and prioritization criteria. These projects form part of an integrated technical assistance programme to support States in resolving Significant Safety Concerns (SSCs) and improving USOAP effective implementation (EI), particularly focused on improvements in Air Operator Certification processes by building the capacities in State CAAs.

Safety Collaborative Assistance Network (SCAN) activities

Pursuant a proposal made during the ICAO High-level Safety Conference held in March 2010, ICAO established the Safety Collaborative Assistance Network (SCAN) to facilitate and coordinate the sharing of safety-related information on financial and technical assistance projects. SCAN provides a channel for discussions among donors and assistance providers regarding ongoing projects, for planning future assistance endeavours and to support the identification of potential projects in need of funding.

In 2013, the SCAN website was renewed and the information contained in its database was updated to continue facilitating the sharing of this information. The second Safety Partnership Meeting was held on 23 September. Forty-four representatives of States and aviation safety partners attended the meeting which agreed to enhance collaboration among stakeholders, make intelligent use of scarce resources, and promote the sharing of safety information.

Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Safety in Africa

The Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Africa (AFI Plan) Steering Committee, established to provide guidance on the AFI Plan, held two meetings in 2013. During these meetings, the Steering Committee acknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the Plan and approved the work programmes for 2013 and 2014 as well as the related activities proposed by the Secretary of the AFI Plan. In 2013, this initiative focused on:

a)   The provision of assistance to States through the development of ICAO Plans of Action.

b)   The provision of assistance to States to support their efforts to meet regional safety targets and address emerging safety issues.

c)   The promotion of the establishment and strengthening of RSOOs.

d)   The intensification of training activities.

AFI Ministerial Briefing

On 23 September, Senior ICAO Officers briefed 22 African Ministers and more than 200 participants, including Directors General of Civil Aviation as well as representatives of international and regional organizations, aviation safety partners and financial institutions, on the status of aviation safety in Africa, the implementation of the AFI Plan and its continuation for the next triennium (2014-2016).

AFI Cooperative Inspectorate Scheme (AFI-CIS)

ICAO has been actively involved in the cooperative inspectorate scheme in the AFI region (AFI-CIS) since its onset in December 2010. The purpose of this programme is to share qualified inspectors within the region in a cost-effective and efficient way, with the aim of providing direct assistance to States in resolving safety deficiencies identified by the ICAO USOAP. The scheme is implemented by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) with the support of ICAO. As of the end of the year, 33 out of 55 AFI States and regional organizations, including RSOOs and COSCAPs, have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).