It was 2016 when ICAO Asia and Pacific Combined Action Team (CAT) technical assistance missions were first introduced. ICAO’s ‘No Country Left Behind’ (NCLB) initiative highlighted ICAO’s effort to assist States in implementing ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). The NCLB initiative also promoted ICAO’s efforts to resolve significant safety concerns brought to light through ICAO Safety Oversight Audits and provide direct assistance to developing countries by playing more active coordination role between States and to generate the political will needed for States to pool resources and participate in regional efforts.
Guided by ICAO’s No Country Left Behind principles, the CAT Missions are an effort to reduce disparity in implementation of SARPs and the USOAP CMA Effective Implementation (EI) scores in the APAC Region. The APAC region is now working on an enhanced version of the CAT technical assistance missions where all beneficiary State stake holders shall agree and work together in implementing a jointly developed safety enhancement roamap. In 2023/24 Vanuatu and Laos PDR agreed to develop and implement a common road map with timelines spanning for over five years.
By continuing to place a strong emphasis on supporting smaller and less developed states, APAC Regional Office is working closely with its partners and regional support mechanisms within and outside the APAC region. If a State is interested in availing the ICAO APAC CAT Technical Assistance Mission, it may reach out to the office by sending a message here.
