ICAO to cooperate with ACI and IATA to host AVSEC World; Critical security challenges to top agenda

Key topics such as securing landside spaces at airports, information sharing among governments, managing the risks of home-grown terrorism and preventing cyber threats will top the agenda of the 25th AVSEC (Aviation Security) World Conference, taking place from the 25 to 27 October 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Aviation security needs to evolve in step with changing threats,” said Dr. Fang Liu, Secretary General, ICAO. “The global policy and regulatory framework has to adapt effectively and in a timely fashion to address this increasingly dynamic risk. Having so many global aviation security experts and leading thinkers gathered together at AVSEC World provides a valuable opportunity to identify common objectives and combine the industry’s strengths and resources towards achieving better aviation security and facilitation.”

“The recent tragic attacks on Brussels and Ataturk airports have brought aviation security sharply into focus in the worldwide media,” said Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World. “Ensuring the security of the traveling public is a top priority for ACI and its members, and a prerequisite for a sustainable aviation system. This is a goal that can only be accomplished through close collaboration among stakeholders. The landscape of aviation security is changing, and AVSEC World 2016 will lay the groundwork for where we’re going and the best way to get there.

“Flying is secure. Keeping it that way is the responsibility of governments and a challenge for all parties involved in air transport,” said Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO, IATA. “Aviation is the business of freedom. But recent months have shown that it remains a target for terrorists. AVSEC World strengthens the vital partnership between industry and government on security. And it is a catalyst that helps to turn our common interest into a shared agenda to stay a step ahead of those with an agenda of evil.”

Liu, Gittens and de Juniac will all deliver remarks at AVSEC World. Additionally, the conference will feature keynote addresses by Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger, Administrator, US Transportation Security and Henrik Hololei, Director-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission.

The event is expected to attract more than 500 delegates in security-related activities at airlines, airports, government agencies, defense and equipment and technology manufacturers.