Abu Dhabi International Airport passes ICAO's Civil Aviation security audit

H.E. Mohammed Ghanim Al Ghaith, Director General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said:

'Abu Dhabi International Airport's impressive compliance with ICAO's Universal Security Audit Programme is a testimony to the professionalism of the Airport management and staff and the high efficiency of the security system in place. We are very pleased of the outcome of this audit as it confirms the UAE's commitment to international standards.'

H.E. Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Chairman and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said: 'ADAC lays high emphasis on ensuring that its airports adhere to all ICAO regulations. We are very keen on maintaining the air transport's record as one of the safest and most efficient modes of transport.

Al Mazrouei expressed satisfaction at the fact that ADIA was the first UAE airport to pass the ICAO audit. He paid tribute to all ADAC concerned departments as well as to the General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police and all other concerned organizations. 'ADIA's compliance with ICAO requirements would not have been possible without the cooperation of all oragnisations operating at the airport,' he said. ADAC has revised its Airport Emergency Plan to cover all scenarios identified by ICAO.

ICAO security experts have praised the persistent efforts of all the concerned organizations toward maintaining high levels of security and safety at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The UAE is a member-state of ICAO and one of the 190 signatories of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (The Chicago Convention), which contains protocols on aviation safety and security.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), headquartered in Montreal, is a specialized agency of the United Nations that was created in 1944 to promote cooperation between states and develop a safe and orderly international civil aviation system. ICAO establishes and actively promotes compliance with international Standards and Recommended Practices and Procedures for Air Navigation Services for the safety, security and efficiency of international air transportation.

ICAO established the Universal Security Audit Programme in June 2002 with the objective of promoting global aviation security through the auditing of Contracting States on a regular basis to determine the status of implementation of ICAO's Annex 17 Standards. Audits are conducted at both the national and airport levels in order to evaluate both a state's aviation security oversight capabilities and the actual security measures in place at selected key airports.