ICAO: The International Civil Aviation Organization
ICAO does not run airlines or airports. It writes the rules that let the world's aviation systems work together.
What ICAO does
ICAO coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the safe and orderly development of international air transport. Its most important product is a body of Standards and Recommended Practices, known as SARPs, published in the annexes to the Chicago Convention.
- A Standard is a specification states agree to follow; a state that cannot comply must notify ICAO of the difference.
- A Recommended Practice is desirable but not mandatory.
Governance
- The Assembly, in which every member state is represented, meets periodically to set policy and budget and to elect the Council.
- The Council, with 36 member states, is the governing body between Assemblies and adopts SARPs.
- The Air Navigation Commission, composed of independent experts, develops technical standards for the Council's adoption.
- The Secretariat in Montreal supports the organization's work.
The annexes
The Chicago Convention has 19 annexes. They cover subjects including personnel licensing, rules of the air, meteorology, aeronautical charts, units of measurement, aircraft operations, airworthiness, aeronautical telecommunications, air traffic services, search and rescue, aircraft accident and incident investigation (Annex 13), aerodromes, environmental protection, the safe transport of dangerous goods, security (Annex 17), facilitation of border procedures, and safety management.
What ICAO is not
ICAO is distinct from industry bodies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association of airlines, and Airports Council International, an association of airport operators. ICAO alone is an intergovernmental organization with authority derived from a treaty.
Why it matters for diplomacy
ICAO is a forum where governments negotiate everything from airspace over conflict zones to emissions standards. Its Council elections, its technical decisions, and its treatment of disputed airspace are all matters of foreign policy.