Global Aviation Security Plan, security Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and related guidance
Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP)
The Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) identifies five key priority outcomes requiring urgent efforts by ICAO, States and other stakeholders in the area of aviation security. A number of activities have been undertaken by the Secretariat to facilitate and promote the achievement of the priority outcomes by all stakeholders, as outlined below.
Priority Outcome 1: Enhance risk awareness and response
Understanding risk is essential for the development of policies and measures that are effective, proportionate and sustainable. Risk assessments by States serve to identify gaps and vulnerabilities. To guide States in performing such risk assessments, ICAO ensures the regular dissemination of the
Aviation Security Global Risk Context Statement (Doc 10108), which has also been used as one of the primary reference documents for conducting impact assessment as per Amendment 18 to Annex 17 —
Security. To support implementation at the national level, during 2020 and 2021, ICAO delivered nine risk management workshops to 102 participants from 24 Member States through the Implementation Support and Development – Security Programme (ISD-SEC).
Priority Outcome 2: Develop security culture and human capability
To achieve this outcome, ICAO carried out activities including:
- initiatives as part of the Year of Security Culture (YOSC);
- the development of the
ICAO security culture web page, which is maintained as a permanent resource and updated accordingly with tools and materials for use by States;
- thirty-two aviation security training courses and workshops, and other assistance activities; and
- the convening of related meetings, seminars and conferences with a security culture focus, such as the annual Global Aviation Security (AVSEC) Symposium and the
ICAO Security Culture Webinar.
The ICAO Security Culture Campaign Starter Pack and Toolkit on enhancing security culture have served as important resources for ICAO’s Security Culture Workshop, and are available for free on the Organization’s
security culture web page in six languages.
Priority Outcome 3: Improve technological resources and foster innovation
The Global Aviation Security Symposium 2021 (AVSEC2021) took place virtually from 8 to 10 September 2021 with the participation of over 1 100 aviation security professionals. It focused on the importance of innovation as a driving force for finding new ways of implementing security measures after the pandemic and for contributing to civil aviation’s recovery, in line with the GASeP’s priority outcome to improve technological resources and foster innovation. The Symposium’s theme for 2021 was AVSEC: Business not as Usual.
Discussions at the Symposium focused on the vast array of challenges in keeping employees and passengers safe, mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and responding to dramatic shifts in air travel demand while maintaining appropriate levels of security and facing the new challenges of a reduced workforce and financial constraints. Panellists provided unique insights into means to enhance the resilience of aviation security operations moving forward, including by exploring ways to foster efficient and effective innovation, from human, operational and financial perspectives. The event provided an opportunity to reflect on how aviation security had been strengthened over the previous two decades, discuss how lessons learned could be used to address major challenges in aviation security, and reaffirm the international community’s responsibility over passengers and the importance of ensuring that security remained the cornerstone of the aviation sector. It concluded with a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Priority Outcome 4: Improve oversight and quality assurance
The Universal Security Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) methodology was reviewed in coordination with the Secretariat Study Group (SSG) on the USAP-CMA, which made a number of recommendations that were addressed during the reporting period. The Secretariat continues to work in collaboration with the SSG to ensure the continuous improvement of the audit programme. This includes developing new training initiatives for auditors, conducting seminars for national coordinators and regularly updating the USAP-CMA Protocol Questions (PQs) to reflect new and modified Annex 17 and Annex 9 Standards. During 2020 and 2021, three regional USAP-CMA seminars were held and attended by 177 national coordinators and other participants from 63 States. The aim of the seminars was to familiarize participants with the USAP-CMA and help them to prepare for future audits.
Priority Outcome 5: Increase cooperation and support
In an effort to maintain its core mission of providing aviation security assistance and capacity-building support to ICAO Member States, the Secretariat has adapted its operations by focusing on the virtual delivery of much of its aviation security training programme since the onset of the pandemic. During 2020 and 2021, 459 students from 67 Member States participated in 37 training courses (held virtually or in-person). Other activities carried out included: comprehensive and targeted aviation security assistance and training funded by the aviation security and facilitation (AVSEC FAL) voluntary fund; the development of needs assessments; the continuous implementation of Aviation Security Improvement Plans (ASIPs) for States requiring assistance; the development of security culture products; and updates to the ICAO Aviation Security Assistance and Capacity-building Strategy, with an enhanced focus on the GASeP.
Security Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and related guidance
On 20 July 2021, State letter AS 8/2.1-21/48 (Confidential) containing the proposed Amendment 18 to Annex 17 was issued to all Member States and select organizations. Replies were requested by 20 October 2021. By
17 December 2021, 129 replies were received from 123 Member States, two special administrative regions and four industry associations. The nature of the replies indicated that an overwhelming majority of States supported the intent and overall direction of the new and revised SARPs.
Amendment 18 to Annex 17 includes: a new Recommended Practice on security culture; a new Standard on aircraft operator security programmes; a new Standard on methods to detect explosives in hold baggage; and a new Standard outlining essential elements of a national civil aviation security quality control programme.
