The ICAO Assembly has given the organisation a clear mandate to pursue its long-term strategy for transforming air transport, with Member States adopting resolutions in support of eliminating fatalities, reducing carbon emissions to net-zero, and ensuring no country is left behind as air services grow in emerging economies.
ICAO’s 42nd Assembly closed today with a message to the global community. “Let this Assembly be remembered as one that set us firmly on track to transform global aviation for generations to come. Let it be remembered as one where global ambition becomes global action,” said ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano. His remarks were delivered to representatives of a record-breaking 192 Member States, with nearly 3,000 delegates having attended the two weeks of deliberations and decision-making.
“Aviation’s transition to a safe, secure and sustainable aviation system is achievable. The decisions you have taken here will guide aviation for decades, with a positive impact that will benefit all nations and people,” added Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar.
Delegates emphasized the importance of providing ICAO with the resources needed to fulfill its mission before its ambitious 2050 deadline.
The Assembly also completed the election of its new Council. The 36-member Council is the governing body of ICAO responsible to the Assembly, and is elected for a three-year term. Countries for PART I and II were elected on 27 September, and elections for PART III were held on 30 September.
A key milestone was the inaugural High-Level Resource Mobilisation Event, with exemplary commitments made by Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and industry partners Airbus and Boeing.
The Assembly approved the ICAO Budget for the upcoming 2026–2028 triennium and called for the organisation to continue its comprehensive transparency, accountability, and efficiency reforms. It also endorsed the creation of a Strategic Fund to be financed through voluntary contributions to address remaining funding gaps. This transitional and exceptional measure will support the implementation of priority activities under the ICAO Business Plan.
Member States also encouraged further progress on ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation through prioritisation, revenue generation, and operational improvements.
ICAO Assembly condemns GNSS radio interference from DPRK, Russia: The ICAO Assembly has endorsed the determination of its governing Council that recurring incidents of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) originating from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the territory of the Russian Federation constitute infractions of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation. Through two Resolutions, the ICAO Assembly condemned the DPRK and the Russian Federation for the infractions and urgently called upon them to comply strictly with their obligations under the Convention. The Assembly also deplored the fact that incidents of GNSS RFI originating from the DPRK and the Russian Federation have continued to recur in disregard of the concerns repeatedly expressed by the ICAO Council about the harmful impact of GNSS-RFI on the safety and security of international civil aviation. The Assembly reiterated the paramount importance of preserving the safety and security of international civil aviation through strict compliance with the principles enshrined in the Chicago Convention and its Annexes. It also recalled Assembly Resolution A41-8, which recognised that the spectrum used by GNSS should be free from harmful interference and urged States to refrain from any form of jamming or spoofing affecting civil aviation.
ICAO Assembly sets foundation for universal access to air transport: The ICAO Assembly has created the foundations for ensuring universal access to air transport by 2050, in line with the ambitions of ICAO’s long-term Strategic Plan. This is the result of a series of decisions towards ensuring every nation has the physical and regulatory capacity to develop air connectivity. Building on commitments to ensure the environmental sustainability of the forecasted growth in air traffic, the Assembly boosted ICAO’s No Country Left Behind strategic goal by delivering 25 new aviation capacity development agreements for specific regional and country needs. This support for increased infrastructure capacity will additionally be supported by the Assembly’s expansion of the TRAINAIR PLUS program. Increased access to standardized training worldwide will mean ICAO can ensure that States are able to develop sufficient human resources to operate and develop their air transport sectors. Similarly, ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) and Gender Equality programmes received strengthened mandates to support aviation professionals of all ages and career stages. This will provide both a sufficient pool of qualified candidates for recruitment and equal access to the highly rewarding careers offered by air transport. The Assembly’s decisions also ensured that new and existing air services alike will progress towards accessibility for and by all. Aligning with the Doha Declaration, States endorsed a comprehensive facilitation strategy prioritizing resource allocation and political momentum. The global rollout of ICAO Digital Travel Credentials and biometric solutions, secured through an enhanced Public Key Directory framework, will make seamless travel a reality. New harmonised measures for crew treatment, unruly passenger management, and humanitarian response procedures were matched with strengthened accessibility standards for persons with disabilities and service animal transport. Importantly, the Assembly also addressed human rights and dignity in international aviation, with reinforced protections for accident victims and expanded cooperation against human trafficking. The Assembly also strengthened the legal foundations of international air transport to support and safeguard these developments. Expressing its support for the achievements of the Legal Committee’s working groups and taskforces, the Assembly passed a new resolution commemorating the Chicago Convention’s 80th anniversary to encourage stakeholder collaboration in developing international air law.
ICAO strengthens air transport’s global framework for net-zero carbon emissions: The International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly has accelerated aviation’s transition to a more sustainable and decarbonized future by achieving broader global cooperation, strengthening the international framework, and laying the groundwork for increased investment. The decisions made by the Assembly directly support the implementation of ICAO’s Strategic Plan for 2050. This long-term plan aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions from international air transport, building on a Resolution adopted by States at the 2022 Assembly session. Key outcomes of the Assembly include: Commitment to cleaner energy, with States endorsing the ICAO Global Framework for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels, and other cleaner energy sources. This includes endorsement of the Framework’s collective target of 5% CO₂ reduction by 2030 and the policy, regulation, support, and financing pathway it provides for achieving it; Accelerated investment, with the Assembly calling for the full operationalisation of the ICAO Finvest Hub. This Hub will connect decarbonization projects with public and private investors. It aims to address financing challenges, particularly in developing countries, by facilitating greater access to climate finance; Strengthened commitment to the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), the world’s only global market-based measure for international aviation. The Assembly reaffirmed the scheme’s environmental integrity and committed to increasing support to States through the ACT-CORSIA programme. CORSIA is on track and continues to progress with enhanced participation and expanded coverage; Sustainability beyond carbon, with the Assembly advancing work on issues including aircraft noise, local air quality, single-use plastics, and non-CO₂ climate effects. Enhanced resilience and accelerated adaptation, with States acknowledging the urgent need for stronger scientific input, strengthened international cooperation, and updated guidance on climate risk assessment and infrastructure resilience to adapt aviation infrastructure and operations to climate-related impacts. States also recognised the role of aviation in disaster response, such as forest firefighting operations. The decisions taken by the Assembly will provide crucial momentum to real and measurable progress led by ICAO on environmental sustainability. This progress is demonstrated by increasing numbers of States submitting Action Plans on CO2 Emissions Reduction Activities (154, up from 133 in 2022), increasing voluntary participation in CORSIA (now 130 States), and a growing number of sustainable aviation fuel plants worldwide. The broader participation and stronger commitments of these Resolutions also send a resounding signal to governments, industry, and investors alike: the global aviation community is united and determined to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
ICAO enhances global aviation safety and security framework: ICAO has delivered a comprehensive framework of strategies and actions to support efforts by States and aviation operators and service providers to eliminate fatalities. Attended by 192 Member States, the ICAO Assembly adopted major updates to global and regional frameworks for aviation safety, security, cybersecurity, air navigation, and innovation, in line with the Muscat Declaration and the Organization’s Strategic Plan for 2050. The Assembly unanimously committed to the highest safety standards by endorsing the 2026-2028 Global Aviation Safety Plan, the eighth Global Air Navigation Plan (with a new six-year cycle for enhanced efficiency), and the Second Edition of the Global Aviation Security Plan, which introduced new global targets and a monitoring system. Together, these plans provide essential structure and guidance to accelerate progress toward zero fatalities as States coordinate regulatory frameworks and capacity-building activities at the national level. Other key outcomes included: Strengthened response to conflict zone risks: To address new threats such as weaponised unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio frequency interference, the Assembly directed the ICAO Council to develop a dedicated work programme on conflict zones and to update ICAO guidance, including the Risk Assessment Manual for Civil Aircraft Operations Over or Near Conflict Zones (Doc 10084). States were called upon to strengthen civil-military cooperation, improve information sharing, and support global initiatives such as the Safer Skies Initiative. Structured bilateral assistance was promoted for States recovering from conflict or crisis. Greater cybersecurity resilience: The Assembly called upon States to implement the ICAO Aviation Cybersecurity Strategy and Cybersecurity Action Plan, develop and implement national aviation cybersecurity plans, designate competent authorities for aviation cybersecurity, and develop robust cybersecurity risk management frameworks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for safer skies: Recognizing both the strategic opportunities and potential risks presented by AI, the Assembly endorsed the ICAO policy on Innovation as a way forward. It also endorsed the establishment of a Task Force on AI to develop comprehensive implementation strategies for aviation security, with an emphasis on standardized certification frameworks and AI-specific performance evaluation methodologies. Expanded integration and safety of new entrants: The Assembly agreed to expedite the development and implementation of measures for legally compliant and safe operations of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and advanced air mobility (AAM) over the high seas, including interim solutions. It also called for harmonized rules and guidance for UAS and AAM security, and for strengthening international cooperation and global data sharing to counter cross-border risks. Ensured progress through enhanced oversight and audit programmes: The Assembly reaffirmed the fundamental importance of ICAO’s safety and aviation security oversight audit programmes and their continued enhancement. It urged States to accept audits as scheduled by ICAO, to ensure timely and relevant information and to prevent negative administrative and financial impacts. Strengthened capacity through regional cooperation: Regional Safety Oversight Organizations (RSOOs), Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organizations (RAIOs), and Investigation Cooperation Mechanisms (ICMs) were recognized as playing important roles in assisting States with limited aviation capacity and resources. The Assembly invited Member States to proactively support ICAO’s regional groups in aviation safety, security and cybersecurity, as well as cooperative programmes in different regions. The assembly emphasized the need for reliable data link services, improved cross-regional airspace coordination, and a more flexible service delivery model to support the global transition to Flight and Flow Information for a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE). Given the hazards of unresolved radio frequency spectrum issues and the growing threat of intentional and unintentional GNSS interference, it also called for active State engagement to ensure resilient communication, navigation, and surveillance capabilities. Delegates also addressed the challenges of cross-border coordination and the operational implications of new distress tracking technologies. Reaffirming ICAO’s leadership in innovation, the Assembly supported closer international collaboration on the safe integration of space transport operations alongside other United Nations entities. Finally, the Assembly agreed to continue evidence-based review of pilot age limits, confirming that any decision to raise the limit to 67 years will be guided strictly by comprehensive data analysis and safety considerations.
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