February 15, 2012 - Twenty Member States* of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) from North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America unanimously adopted at a conference in Caracas (Venezuela) a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving passenger and cargo security throughout the hemisphere, as part of a common effort to counter threats to civil aviation worldwide.

Speaking of the opportunities given by this meeting, Captain (Navy) Elsa Gutierrez Graffe, Minister of Aquatic and Air Transport of Venezuela emphasized the need to join forces in order to achieve sustainability in aviation security. She also stressed that the implementation of the ICAO Assembly Declaration on Aviation Security requires ?proactive and collaborative actions from the Member States?.

Raymond Benjamin, ICAO Secretary General, highlighted progress made in the harmonization of aviation security and facilitation measures throughout the region. He emphasized to delegates attending a two-day regional aviation security conference that ?cooperation is the hallmark of global aviation and the basis for enhancing aviation security throughout the international air transport system?.

In a joint statement, State representatives agreed to facilitate communication between national security agencies and to share threat information on a timely basis. Participants also called on ICAO to continue to address threats to the global air cargo system and agreed to work with border control authorities and other regulatory bodies such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) to strengthen the global supply chain system.

Joining national civil aviation authorities at the conference were regional bodies and international organizations, including the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (LACAC), the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (OAS-CICTE) and the Airports Council International (ACI). All confirmed their support in assisting States in the implementation of the ICAO Assembly Aviation Security Declaration.

This aviation security conference was the fifth in a series of similar meetings held in other parts of the world to promote the implementation of the ICAO Declaration on Aviation Security and to pave the way for a global high-level security conference at ICAO Headquarters in Montr?al from 12 to 14 September.