The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has secured commitment among its Member States on modernising air travel across Asia-Pacific, setting in motion plans for faster border crossings and improved digital services. The agreements, reached at ICAO’s Facilitation Regional Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, advance the implementation of digital travel credentials and enhanced border management systems that will particularly benefit developing nations and island States in this region.

The two-day event succeeded in identifying new opportunities for collaboration between governments and industry and identified key digital infrastructure and capabilities that can address many of the challenges and opportunities in the region.

“With Asia-Pacific air traffic expected to lead global growth toward 12.4 billion passengers by 2050, we must transform how we manage the movement of people and goods across borders,” remarked ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. “The consensus reached at the ICAO Facilitation Regional Forum in Ulaanbaatar has helped lay the foundation for that transformation, ensuring the region develops the standardized, interoperable systems needed to handle this remarkable expansion efficiently and securely.”

The forum brought together 126 participants, including government representatives and other innovators from international organisations and industry organisations. They reached broad agreement on the critical importance of air transport facilitation for assuring connectivity and boosting economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly when considering anticipated air travel growth and challenges for the region’s Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. Participants also emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to enhance the passenger experience while maintaining necessary human oversight.

There was broad recognition of the role of ICAO’s regulatory standards and international specifications in assuring global interoperability and security of travel documents, implementation of passenger data systems and overall improvement of border management capabilities.

New opportunities also emerged to advance pilot projects for ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential and Public Key Directory, presenting opportunities for industry to engage in innovative solutions. The outcomes of the regional forum will encourage the momentum on these priorities at a global level, including by informing the deliberations and resolutions expected to result from the 42^nd Session of the ICAO Assembly in Montréal this September.

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