ICAO welcomes G20 call for COVID-19 global response

The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Council President, Salvatore Sciacchitano, and Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu, has welcomed the statement on COVID-19 published by the G20 leaders’, including how the statement underscores how this unprecedented pandemic serves as “a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities”.

Sciacchitano said: “From the standpoints of travel and trade, global interconnectedness relies significantly on the unmatched speed and reliability of international civil aviation. I was encouraged to see the strong financial commitments the G20 has now established to aid in the global recovery from COVID-19, and that the sectors most gravely impacted by current pandemic mitigation measures will be prioritised going forward. International air transport is clearly suffering very acutely as personal and global mobility continues to be curtailed and, in light of its instrumental role in the worldwide response in times of crisis, I am greatly encouraged that relief may soon be on the way.”

Liu heralded the G20 statement, particularly highlighting the need for “bold and large-scale fiscal support,” and the hope that “the magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth”.

Liu said: “Aviation connectivity is critical to successful global recovery from COVID-19, especially with respect to ensuring the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products, and other goods and services across borders, as well as resolving disruptions to global supply chains. The G20 leaders have specifically stressed the need to address these capabilities urgently, and ICAO has already begun to answer its calls to facilitate the return to normalised international trade on a coordinated and cooperative basis.”

Sciacchitano and Liu both reiterated that ICAO joins the G20 Leaders’ Summit in standing ready to take any action deemed necessary and will continue to work on the basis of solidarity and effective international cooperation with the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international and industry organisations.