After serving two consecutive terms as deputy chair of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO’s) Aviation Security Panel, South Africa has been appointed chair, for the next 12 months.

Led by South African Civil Aviation Authority director Poppy Khoza, the first woman to take up the position, the panel is responsible for enhancing global civil aviation security through the development and coordination of an effec- tive global policy and legal framework in response to the evolving threats to civil aviation.

Khoza is taking over the year-long renewable role from Singapore Ministry of Transport international relations and security director Bernard Lim.

The United Nations-led specialised aviation agency’s 27-member panel guides ICAO’s strategies and mitigating measures for aviation security matters, setting global aviation security standards to safeguard civil aviation operations against issues related to terrorism, emerging or new threats and any matter threatening aviation operations, including the prevention of future acts of unlawful interference.

The security panel recently updated the 2011 global ‘Risk Context Statement’ and agreed on proposed new standards and recommended practices for Annex 17 of the 1974 Chicago Convention at the panel’s twenty-sixth meeting in Montreal, Canada, in April.

Annex 17 dictates the provisions for international aviation security and has been updated 14 times.

The latest provisions aims to strengthen cargo and mail security, oversight requirements and international cooperation, in addition to dealing with landside and cyber threats.

The appointment of South Africa as chairperson demonstrated the nation’s aviation security capabilities and its ability to guide the global community on aviation security matters, Khoza said in a statement.

“It is certainly an enormous challenge; but a challenge that is surmountable,” she said of the achievement, which came months after the US and the European Union lauded South Africa’s aviation regulatory system on aviation and air cargo security.

Khoza aimed to actively advance the aviation security agenda, particularly among African States, as well as advocate for transformation of the male-dominated industry.

“We just need to continue with the great work that ICAO has been doing; putting particular emphasis on constant re-evaluation of systems and processes employed.

“Evolution is a consistent necessity as those with malicious intent are always on the prowl for weaknesses in aviation security systems. This puts the onus on authorities to constantly improve aviation security risk management systems in order to remain a yard ahead,” she concluded.