IAC took part in CAPSCA EUR/MID/12 meeting

The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) took part in the 12th meeting of the Europe, North Atlantic and Middle East regional collaborative arrangement for the prevention and management of public health events in civil aviation (CAPSCA EUR/MID/12), which was held on May 19-20, 2025, in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt. 

The event was organized in coordination with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Regional Offices for Europe, North Atlantic and Middle East. The meeting was attended by representatives of the World Health Organization and several CAPSCA EUR/MID Member States, as well as relevant regional and international organizations.

The goal of the meeting is to exchange experience and best practices among CAPSCA EUR/MID Member States, coordinate the development of response plans to health threats and crises, ensure the safety and continuity of air transport operations and reduce the impact of health emergencies on international transport and the economy. The meeting also aims to support CAPSCA EUR/MID Member States in applying ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and the World Health Organization International Health Regulations (IHR) in the preparation and implementation of health contingency plans in civil aviation, strengthen cooperation between stakeholders, including civil aviation authorities, public health authorities and airports, air navigation service providers, airlines, immigration, customs, security.

The meeting agenda included a visit by the CAPSCA EUR/MID team to Cairo International Airport to assess the readiness  of services to respond to public health emergencies.

During the meeting ideas, strategies and experience in dealing with public health emergencies in civil aviation and the readiness of the aviation sector for public health threats and crises.

The speakers noted that the CAPSCA programme is a successful model of multilateral cooperation and contributes to achieving the objectives of global aviation safety and public health plans. The importance of continuous coordination and integration among relevant stakeholders was emphasized to ensure that the aviation sector of CAPSCA EUR/MID Member States is ready for future challenges.

In his speech, the Head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Amr El-Sharkawi, noted that the CAPSCA programme is a leading model for regional and international cooperation to achieve the objectives of the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASP), the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) and the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) guidelines.

Mohamed Abu Bakr Farah, ICAO Middle East Regional Director, and Sarantis Poulimenakos, CAPSCA EUR Regional Coordinator for the European and North Atlantic Office, in their speeches, emphasized the importance of strengthening intersectoral, interstate and interregional cooperation to ensure the maximum readiness of the aviation system to protect public health, and to operate safe and economically viable air transport. They expressed gratitude to the CAPSCA EUR/MID/12 delegates for their active participation in the implementation of the CAPSCA programme.

The IAC, as an international partner of ICAO in the CAPSCA EUR project and the coordinator of the project with the aviation authorities of the Commonwealth of Independent States, informed the meeting participants about the IAC activities in implementing the CAPSCA program, preparedness and cooperation in civil aviation of the CIS member states to overcome threats to public health, as well as about the work of the IAC Coordinating and Advisory Aeromedical Council (IAC CAAC). Examples of intersectoral cooperation and training of CAPSCA experts at the International Rescue Center of the Republic of Belarus were presented. Delegates of CAPSCA EUR/MID/12 are invited to participate in the IAC CAAC conference and meeting in October 2025 in Minsk.

CAPSCA EUR/MID/12 participants were Provided with updated information on the regional CAPSCA network and given the opportunity to share best practices and experience in the field of aviation medicine and crisis management during public health emergencies.

The CAPSCA EUR/MID/12 meeting demonstrated the need to further strengthen international and intersectoral cooperation, which is especially important in the context of modern challenges and threats.