The High-level ICAO COVID-19 Conference: A Critical Commentary

Abstract

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) held its High-level Conference on COVID-19 (HLCC 2021) from 12 to 22 October 2021. The somewhat wordy theme of the conference was ‘One Vision for Aviation Recovery, Resilience and Sustainability beyond the Global Pandemic’. Even more ambitious, albeit laudable in motive was its objective of seeking to reach a global consensus on a multilateral approach, supported by political will and commitments of States, to enable the safe and efficient recovery of air transport. In ICAO language the words ‘global consensus’, ‘political will’ and ‘commitment of States’ have not always produced desired results. Added to this conundrum The High-level, Ministerial Declaration that emerged at the end of the Conference recognized in ICAO an already existing ‘global leadership role’ and ascribed to it the task of facilitating aviation’s recovery from the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and ensuring its future resilience – a task which has to be accommodated within the parameters assigned to ICAO in the Chicago Convention of ‘fostering the planning and development of air transport’ – which is a far cry from leadership of any kind. However, the Declaration sparks a note of sanguine optimism if only for the reason that the global pandemic has presented to the world of aviation a message of catastrophic gloom that could well surpass previous issues and problems that have besieged aviation which, on a comparative basis, have proved transitory. This article comments on the outcome of the ICAO Conference and offers some points to consider. ICAO Covid Conference, Declaration, risk assessment, risk management, crisis management, connectivity