South Africa’s Deputy Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga led her delegation to the re-election of a seat on the governing council of the 41st International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) assembly held in Montreal in Canada, APA learnt on Sunday.
Speaking after winning the seat, Chikunga hailed Pretoria’s re-election as an achievement for Africa and the entire aviation industry in the continent.
South Africa would continue to lead, support, and execute the objectives and mandates set by the ICAO statutes, the deputy minister said.
She added: “Our contribution to the world in the sector speaks volume just as the voting showed. South Africa will continue to play a role that drives the advancement and the fruition of the civil aviation sector.”
“We will also continue in doing our work alongside our neighbouring states, where South Africa offers the necessary support that contributes towards the socio-economic benefit of the industry,” she said.
South Africa won 151 votes, the fourth highest in the second round of voting, to retain the council seat first gained in 2003.
The transport ministry on Sunday said the 41st ICAO assembly was the first sitting since the Covid-19 outbreak, where “some of the focal conversations concentrated on the economic recovery of the aviation sector, environmental factors, aviation safety and security working papers.”
The 193 member states convene every three years to elect the council and review in detail the work of the organisation in the technical, administrative, economic, legal, and technical co-operation fields, according to the organisers.
The council has the power to approve amendments to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago 1944) subject to ratification by member states.
The governing council consists of 36 member states. Some of its key responsibilities are to oversee the finances of ICAO, define the duties of the various committees and appoint their members.
NM/as/APA