ACI Congratulates Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu on his Election as President of the Council of ICAO

Montréal, 19 November 2013 – Airports Council International (ACI) extends its warmest congratulations to the newly elected President of the Council of ICAO, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.

Dr. Aliu’s election was confirmed on 18 November when the 36 States that comprise ICAO’s Governing Council registered their unanimous agreement during the Council’s 200th Session. Dr. Aliu’s three-year term will take effect on 1 January 2014 and end on 31 December 2016. Nigeria presented his candidature on 8 March 2013.

“Dr. Aliu is an outstanding diplomat and civil aviation leader with a great talent for consensus building and a passion for advancing aviation policy and practice. He has always impressed me with his seamless development and integration of strategic objectives, policies and programmes as well as his warm and open personal style and talent for drawing together people to forge collaborations and partnerships. His 30-years of exceptional service to international civil aviation and extensive academic background have garnered the full confidence of ACI that relies on the Council to advance issues of great importance to the world’s airports. I look forward to working with Dr. Aliu over the next triennium and congratulate him on his historic appointment.” Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World.

He is the fifth President of the ICAO Council in its almost 70-year history and its first President from the Africa region. Prior to his election, Dr. Aliu served for eight years as the ICAO Council’s Nigerian Representative (2005-2013), Director of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Transport Regulation Directorate (2000-2004), and Chairman for the formulation of African Civil Aviation Policy under the African Union (2009-2011).

Dr. Aliu’s election to President follows the announced retirement of Roberto Kobeh González (2006-2013) who served as President of the ICAO Council for two consecutive terms. On 22 November 2013, ACI will hold a retirement luncheon for Mr. Kobeh González to pay homage to the tremendous contributions that he has made to the sustainable development of the international civil aviation industry. The luncheon will be held in collaboration with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

-ACI-

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Notes for editors:

1. ACI is the only global trade representative of the world’s airports. Established in 1991, ACI represents airports’ interests with governments and international organizations, develops standards, policies and recommended practices for airports, and provides information and training opportunities to raise standards around the world.
2. In the summer of 2011, ACI World moved from Geneva, Switzerland to Montreal, Canada in order to be closer physically and politically to ICAO. Due to ACI’s mission to advance the case for airports globally, a close proximity to ICAO provides ACI staff with the opportunity to be engaged in promoting its objectives. This is done by working with the ICAO Council Members and Secretariat, Air Navigation Commission and ICAO Regional Directors. Since the move, the relationship has gone from strength to strength, with ACI playing important organizational and participatory roles at the High-level Conference on Aviation Security, and Air Navigation Conference in 2012, as well as the Air Transport Conference in 2013.