Singapore re-elected to governing body of UN aviation agency ICAO

SINGAPORE: Singapore was successfully re-elected to the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), retaining the seat it has held in the organisation's governing body since 2003.

The elections took place at the 41st session of ICAO's assembly held in Montreal, Canada on Saturday (Oct 1), the Ministry of Transport said in a press release on Sunday.

"Singapore is firmly committed to supporting ICAO in its unwavering efforts to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for international aviation," said Transport Minister S Iswaran.

"We stand ready to work with all stakeholders and partners to contribute to these efforts for the benefit of all states."

Singapore was first elected to the ICAO council in 2003, at an extraordinary assembly session that was convened to fill three new council seats. It was re-elected in 2004 and in subsequent elections, which happens once every three years.

The country participates in more than 100 ICAO panels and expert groups. It takes the lead role in some of these panels and groups, to "help shape international standards in areas such as aviation safety and security; air traffic management; and environmental protection", said the Transport Ministry.

In its press release, the ministry also noted that Singapore is making significant contributions to human capital development in aviation, highlighting the work done by the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA), which is the training arm of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

"Through the SAA and its partnerships with other leading international aviation organisations, and academic and training institutions, Singapore has also established various platforms for aviation leaders and experts to exchange insights and put forward ideas to advance international civil aviation," said the ministry.