WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVE 
MEETING OF THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON AVIATION SAFETY 
WASHINGTON, D.C./FEBRUARY 21, 2001

Conclusions Statement

1. On October 13, 2000, at the Western Hemisphere Transportation Ministers' Roundtable meeting in Washington, D.C., the United States tabled a proposal to establish a Partnership for Safer Skies in the Western Hemisphere. The Ministers present directed the Executive Committee to further develop this proposal in time for consideration at the March 15-16, 2001 ministerial session in Punta del Este, Uruguay. At its December 6, 2000 meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay, the WHTI Executive Committee agreed to create an ad hoc working group to examine the proposal and make recommendations to the Ministers regarding enhanced cooperation on aviation safety under the WHTI umbrella. The ad hoc working group met at the headquarters offices of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in Washington, D.C., on February 21, 2001. Representatives from Canada, Mexico, Peru, the United States, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the IDB participated in the meeting. In considering the aviation safety issues before it, it was the consensus of the ad hoc working group that increased cooperation among states would only strengthen the region's safety oversight capabilities to meet the challenges that will result from expected growth in civil aviation.

2. Participants evaluated the proposal in light of two important concerns that had been previously raised: (1) how to ensure that the Partnership does not duplicate the ongoing efforts of ICAO and regional organizations, such as the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (CLAC); and (2) how to make such a Partnership work in countries where civil aviation is under the jurisdiction of a ministry other than transportation.

3. Emphasizing the importance of working closely with ICAO and regional organizations, the participants agreed that it would be beneficial to establish a mechanism for expanded cooperation in aviation safety among Western Hemisphere nations. It was also noted that sustainable improvements in aviation safety require a commitment at the highest levels of government, and that the Ministers responsible for transportation could help raise awareness about this subject within their governments even if aviation is not part of their portfolio.

4. Some of the issues identified by the working group as appropriate for Ministerial attention included the following: the adoption and implementation of safety laws and regulations that comply with international standards; the role and organization of civil aviation authorities; the provision of adequate funding for hiring, training, and retaining permanent and competent personnel, and for resolving problems identified through ICAO audits; the fostering of intra-governmental cooperation among governmental agencies engaged in aviation-related activities; and the pooling of resources among nations to achieve economies of scale in addressing common problems.

5. The IDB described its ongoing project with the Central American Corporation for Civil Aviation (COCESNA) and the Central American Agency for Aviation Safety (ACSA), which the participants observed not only demonstrates the Bank's commitment to working in partnership with countries in the region, but that countries can successfully pool their resources to attain common goals.

6. At the operational/technical level, the importance of managing human factors through training, communication, and team-work was highlighted.

7. Recommendation: The ad hoc working group recommends that the Ministers establish a Group of Experts that would cut across ministries to assess aviation safety needs in the region, exchange information, identify areas for enhanced cooperation, and develop recommendations for future action. The ad hoc working group further recommends that Canada's director general for civil aviation chair this Group of Experts, which would be comprised of senior aviation officials (at the director general level or its equivalent) from WHTI member countries and relevant organizations (e.g., ICAO) that choose to participate in it on a voluntary basis. The ad hoc working group notes with emphasis that the recommended group would cut across ministries, thus providing those WHTI Ministers who are not responsible for aviation an opportunity to reach out to colleagues in advancing their countries' aviation safety priorities.

3/5/01

F:\user\x20comn\hti\adhocconc Mlameiro, 2/27/01, revised 3/5/01