THE POSTAL HISTORY OF ICAO

 

The Commemorative Covers: Admission to ICAO

 

According to Article 92 (Adherence to Convention) of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (also named the Chicago Convention), this Convention shall be open for adherence by members of the United Nations and States associated with them, and States which remained neutral during the present world conflict; adherence shall be effected by a notification (i.e., instruments of adherence) addressed to the Government of the United States of America and shall take effect as from the thirtieth day from the receipt of the notification by the Government of the United  States of America, which shall notify all the Contracting States. The Government of the United States, as the host of the Chicago Conference held in 1944, is the depository of the Convention.

 

Several Members States issued stamps and first day covers to commemorate their admission to ICAO (see the following links: Brunei : Admission to International Organizations, DPR of Korea : 20th Anniversary of Admission to ICAO, Japan : Admission to the United Nations, Korea : 10th Anniversary of Admission to ICAO, and Korea : 25th Anniversary of admission to ICAO).

 

In addition to that, two States issued exclusively cover to commemorate their admission to ICAO, that is the Republic of Albania (in Albanian: Republika e Shqipėrisė) and the Democratic Republic of Korea.

 

ALBANIA

 

The People's Republic of Albania (renamed in 1976 the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, as shown on the cover here below) was dissolved in 1990, and the Republic of Albania (or Albania) was founded in 1991.

 

In the years 1980-1990, several investments at the airport of Tirana (now named Tirana International Airport Nėnė Tereza) in Albania were made to meet urgent demands. During 1989-1991, because of political changes in the Eastern European countries, the Republic of Albania adhered to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opened its airspace to international flights, and had its duties of air traffic control defined. In addition, during these years, governmental agreements of civil air transport were established with Bulgaria, Federal Republic of Germany, Slovenia, Italy, Russia, Austria, England, Macedonia, etc.

 

In fact, Albania deposited its notification of adherence to the Chicago Convention on 28 March 1991 and the Convention entered into force for that country 30 days later. The postmark on the first day cover below indicates the date of 19 October 1990, which corresponded to the opening of new air routes and to the comprehensive overhauling of civil aviation at that time in the country. Moreover, as the cover shows the ICAO emblem, Albania anticipated the admission to ICAO and the adherence to the International Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), defined in the Annexes to the Chicago Convention.

 

This cover shows Albania’s national flag (as it existed in 1990 with the double-headed eagle surmounted by a star), the world map, a French Aérospatiale Sud-Est SE 210 Caravelle aircraft, ICAO emblem, and a runway of flags of the following countries (from left to right): The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, USSR (note the bad design of the symbols: hammer, sickle and star, which should have been in yellow and not white as shown), France, Hungary, the United States, Turkey, The Czech Republic, and Greece. It displays the main air corridors/routes linking Albania with the rest of the word.

The blue postage stamp was issued on 20 September 1990 for the 2400th anniversary of the city of Berat, Albania.

 

 

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh deposited the Notification of adherence to the Chicago Convention on 22 December 1972; it took effect as from the thirtieth day alter the receipt of the notification.

On 16 October 2023, during a ceremony held at the Ganabhaban in the capital of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina released a commemorative postage stamp to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's membership with the International Civil Aviation Organization. It also symbolizes the deep and enduring ties between ICAO and the CAAB.

More information of this issue can be found at the following link: Bangladesh 50th anniversary of adherence.

 

Stamp and first day cover issued on 16 October 2023 by Bangladesh to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's membership with ICAO.

 

 

KOREA

 

The Republic of Korea became the 58th Member of ICAO on 11 December 1952 (30 days after the deposit of its instruments of adherence to the Convention on International Civil Aviation). To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the admission of ICAO, Korea released the postal stationery shown hereafter.

 

Korea had already marked prior anniversaries of the admission to ICAO by issuing stamps as follows: a) on 11 December 1962 to mark the 10th anniversary (see details by clicking on Korea : 10th Anniversary of admission to ICAO); b) on 11 December 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary (see details by clicking on Korea : 25th Anniversary of admission to ICAO).

 

It is to be noted that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, following notification on 16 August 1977 of its adherence to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, became the 141st Contracting State of ICAO on 15 September 1977.

 

 

 

Republic of KOREA – 11 December 2002 – Unused and used cards.

50th Anniversary of admission to ICAO – Multicoloured aircraft trails.

In the used card, the two lines of the cancel read as follows: The 50th anniversary of Korea's joining ICAO.

As shown here above, the cancel exists in black and in viridian-green.

 

OMAN

On 24 January 1973, the Sultanate of Oman marked the 50th anniversary of joining the 1944 Chicago Convention, which gave rise to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); Oman deposited its Notification of Adherence to the Chicago Convention on that day and became party to the ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) on 23 February 1973.

The second edition of the Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum (CALAF/2) high-level meeting and the conclusion of a new cooperation agreement were among the activities undertaken by ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar during his mission to Oman, which took place from 19 to 21 February 2023 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Oman becoming party to the Chicago Convention.

More information of this issue can be found at the following link: Oman 50th anniversary of adherence to ICAO.

 

 

Sheet of 8 stamps and first day cover issued on 7 December 2023 (International Civil Aviation Day) by Oman to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Sultanate’s accession to ICAO.

 

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