THE POSTAL HISTORY OF ICAO

 

The ICAO Secretariat

 

The ICAO Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General; in 2024, it consisted of five main divisions:

1.    the Air Navigation Bureau;

2.    the Air Transport Bureau;

3.    the Capacity Development and Implementation Bureau;

4.    the Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau; and

5.    the Bureau of Administration and Services.

 

The Technical Co-operation Bureau (formerly the Technical Assistance Bureau) has been renamed the Capacity Development and Implementation (CDI) Bureau. Since its establishment in 1952, CDI has implemented civil aviation projects with an accumulated value in excess of US$ 2 billion. With an average annual programme size of over US$ 120 million, it is involved in approximately 250 projects each year with individual project budgets ranging from less than US$ 20 000 to over US$ 120 million. To date, CDI has provided assistance to over 115 countries, deploying annually approximately 1200 international and national experts. ICAO’s Capacity Development and Implementation Programme provides advice and assistance in the development and implementation of projects across the full spectrum of civil aviation aimed at the safety, security, environmental protection, and sustainable development of national and international civil aviation. 

 

The Secretary General is also directly responsible for the management and effective work performance of the activities assigned to the Office of the Secretary General relating to:

1.    Finance;

2.    Strategic Planning;

3.    Coordination and Partnerships;

4.    Internal Oversight;

5.    Ethics; and

6.    Seven Regional Offices.

 

In order that the work of the Secretariat shall reflect a truly international approach, senior personnel are recruited on a broad geographical basis for their technical expertise in the fields required by the work at ICAO. In addition to the regular staff, the services of experts are obtained from time to time by loan or secondment from member states or other international organizations. Clerical or secretarial employees are generally recruited locally in the area where the Organization has offices.

 

In 2023, at the beginning of his second term, the Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar laid out his vision for ICAO, with a mandate and guidance from the ICAO Council in its Charter to him, and for the 2023-2025 triennium, to have a clear 3-year business plan with ambitious Strategic Objectives. ICAO will transform its Secretariat into a more adaptive and collaborative organization demonstrating operational excellence. By 2025, the Organization will have fully embedded a results-driven and people-focused culture, and a way of working; it will have a more transparent, accountable, efficient, and values-guided culture and, in collaboration with key partners and other stakeholders, will be increasingly more innovative and agile. Together these combined achievements will deliver greatly enhanced services for its Member States. To remain relevant, ICAO must transform in response to an evolving aviation industry, technological advancements and its growing mandate. By creating a culture of innovation, ICAO will be fit for the future, taking this opportunity to seize the moment with the alignment of the Secretary General’s visionary leadership, full support of the Council and Assembly and allocated budget and resources.

The Transformational Objective will transform the Secretariat under a One-ICAO approach which enables a stronger ICAO (Member States, Council and Secretariat). An Organizational culture shift at the heart of this is necessary with a specific focus on transitioning from some siloed working to full collaborative engagement.

 

ICAO Headquarters are located in Montréal, Canada, whereas the seven regional offices (plus one sub-office) are located as follows:

  1. Bangkok – Asia & Pacific Office. During its 197th Session, on 5 November 2012, the Council endorsed the Secretary General’s recommendation that an APAC Regional Sub-Office be established in China; it was inaugurated at Beijing on 26 June 2013.
  2. Cairo – Middle East Office;
  3. Dakar – Western & Central African Office;
  4. Lima – South American Office;
  5. Mexico – North American, Central American & Caribbean Office;
  6. Nairobi – Eastern & Southern African Office; and
  7. Paris – European & North Atlantic Office.

 

The postmark on the above cover, sent to the Secretariat of ICAO, is dated 27 July 1956; it still shows the characteristics of the French Protectorate, while Morocco's independence was proclaimed on 2 March 1956; Empire Cherifien is the old name, in French, for the Kingdom of Morocco before its independence.

After winning independence in 1956, stamps with the name Maroc, issued before the independence (in the above example: in July 1955), remained in circulation for some time thereafter.

 

Service cover sent by the Österreichische Liga für die Vereinten Nationen to ICAO.

Cancel dated 26 January 1966.

The Austrian League for the United Nations was founded in 1945 in direct relationship with the United Nations itself as an interface between the UN and the Austrian population. Over the years, this League organized a variety of activities, such as lectures, exhibitions, concerts, tours, etc.

In 2008, it merged with the Austrian Association for Foreign Policy and International Relations (Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Außenpolitik und Internationale Beziehungen) to form the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Außenpolitik und die Vereinten Nationen, ÖGAVN).

Commercial cover sent in 1993 from the Slovak Airport of Letisko-Bratislava to the ICAO Secretariat.

____________