Commemorating 75 Years of Annex 9: ICAO’s dedication to air transport facilitation

When we talk about air transport facilitation in the context of international civil aviation, we are referring to the measures taken to prevent unnecessary delays to aircraft, crews, passengers and cargo, especially, in the administration of the laws relating to immigration, quarantine, customs and clearance. The words “Facilitation of formalities” appears as a subtitle for Article 22 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

In September 1949, ICAO published the First Edition of Annex 9 — Facilitation that contained 89 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). Over the years, many new and revised SARPs have been introduced through a series of amendments to the Annex that now contains more than 440 SARPs under 10 chapters. These new and revised SARPs seek to address the evolving landscape of air transport, the contemporary needs of States, advances in technology, development of passenger and cargo traffic, and the value of contributing to the continuing development of international civil aviation.

Air transport cacilitation can be linked to nine of the 15 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations. The work ICAO undertakes to facilitate air travel is crucial to maintaining a thriving aviation ecosystem vital to the world’s economic and social development. Air transport facilitation holds great importance for international civil aviation and will continue to in the years to come.

In 2024, Annex 9 — Facilitation celebrates its 75th Anniversary. This commemoration provides an opportunity for ICAO to collaborate with Member States and the global aviation community to highlight the importance of air transport facilitation and the necessity for global awareness and implementation of Annex 9 SARPs. In recognition of the milestone of the 75th Anniversary of Annex 9, the ICAO Council, during the Third Meeting of its 230th Session, reaffirmed the importance of air transport Facilitation and in doing so, approved 2024 as the Year of Facilitation.

Throughout the Year of Facilitation we have conducted activities related to the different aspects of air transport Facilitation under the 10 chapters of Annex 9 that will be organized in collaboration with Member States and partner organizations. Activities have included promotional campaigns, webinars, seminars, training and launching of dedicated websites, all aimed at inter alia, highlighting the milestones achieved in air transport Facilitation by ICAO, Member States, and relevant international organizations emphasizing the importance of Facilitation, and providing a platform for collaboration and exchange of perspectives through cross-border information sharing.

ICAO Member States, international organizations and other stakeholders are invited to join ICAO in celebrating 2024 Year of Facilitation (FAL2024) and to contribute to inter alia, promoting and enhancing global awareness of the importance of Facilitation. We look forward to an exciting, informative, and collaborative year with our Member States and the aviation community, making 2024 memorable and rewarding. More on FAL2024 to come, so be on the lookout for future articles.