Secretariat’s administrative and financial coordination in response to COVID-19
ICAO diverted resources to focus on the COVID-19 response and recovery activities while also identifying programmes and activities that could be deferred, suspended or cancelled to reduce costs. Programmes and activities have been reviewed, which necessitated a reprioritization of ICAO Operating Plans.
On 17 March 2020, ICAO activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to adequately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Secretariat established the Crisis Management Team (CMT), designated to coordinate, with the United Nations (UN) System and local authorities, the latest guidelines and special measures to be implemented. A number of mitigating measures have been put in place, in particular, the approval of a work-from-home arrangement or telecommuting for all staff members. In close coordination with Headquarters, the Regional Offices have been guided by the recommendations and directives of their respective local governments and UN Country Teams.
Furthermore, specific measures were taken to ensure safety and health of all personnel – from providing medical advice to personnel, in particular those who have travelled from, visited or transited via airports in COVID-19 affected countries and territories, postponement of non-essential mission travel to COVID-19 affected areas, to postponement of Category 3 and 4 meetings and events.
Since March 2020, the CMT provided ICAO staff and the Delegations with situational updates and health and well-being tips and resources through the weekly CMT Bulletin.
Building services at Headquarters were modified in response to COVID-19, including enhancement of cleaning and disinfecting of common areas, increased ventilation, controlled entry and exit points, and placement of visual information guides and signage.
All efforts were made in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to enable staff to work as seamlessly as possible from home, in order to ensure that ICAO operations would continue. ICT service support ranges from remote medical consultations and electronic prescriptions, payroll processing, electronic processing of correspondence and documentation, online learning, to virtual meetings.
It is worth highlighting that the Secretariat made extensive efforts to identify technical and/or procedural options for the meetings of the Council and its Standing Committees in a virtual setting with full interpretation services. Furthermore, the Secretariat had also embarked on testing ‘hybrid/hub’ solution, which would allow both physical and remote participation in a meeting with full interpretation.
