Indonesia Reconsolidates Support For Seat In ICAO Council

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia reconsolidated its support to win a seat at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council for the 2016-2019 period during the Jakarta-Singapore Ambassadors' Golf Familiarization event in Bintan and Batam on July 29-31, 2016.

"We explain all matters related to the development of civil aviation in Indonesia," Indonesia's special envoy to the ICAO Indroyono Susilo noted in a written statement here on Monday.

Information was disseminated in areas including growth in air passengers, flight coverage area, Indonesian's position in world aviation, and training aid granted by Indonesia to developing countries.

The event was attended by the representatives of friendly countries: 35 ambassadors based in Jakarta and 27 ambassadors based in Singapore.

The event is expected to boost tourism in Indonesia and to establish and strengthen bilateral relations.    
The state representatives attending the event were from Azerbaijan, Croatia, the Netherlands, India, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Serbia, Vietnam, Singapore, Slovakia, Turkey, and Oman.

The Indonesian Tourism Affairs Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, and Indonesia's Embassy in Singapore organized the Jakarta-Singapore Ambassadors' Golf Familiarization event.

Former coordinating minister for maritime affairs Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo utilized the event to seek support for its bid for a place on the council of ICAO.

At the end of his presentation, Soesilo called on the participants to support Indonesia's election to the global aviation authority for the next three years.  

"The activity was expected to have a positive impact on Indonesia's election to the global aviation authority," he remarked.

The election for ICAO's council members will be held in September 2016.

ICAO is a United Nations organization grouping 191 countries focusing on civil aviation safety.

The council's members comprise 36 countries with the right to participate in its Technical Commission Meetings discussing ICAO's newly drafted regulations.

The 36 council members are divided into three groups based on geographical location and air space strategic importance.

The members of the council comprise countries based on the level of interest in air transportation; second, their contribution to providing international air navigation civil facilities; and third, by their geographical representation of a country in air transportation.

Members of the first group include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States.

Countries in the second group include Argentina, Egypt, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, and Venezuela.

The third group comprises Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, the Republic of Dominica, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Poland, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Tanzania.

The members of the ICAO Council are elected every three years through secret ballots at the ICAO Council session.

The last election took place during the 38th session of the ICAO Council in September 2013 in Canada where Indonesia fell short of garnering the highest votes, narrowly missing out to Malaysia that bagged the seat. (WDY)