The global aviation sector will gain broader representation in its key governing bodies after a long-awaited amendment to international civil aviation rules officially entered into force, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) announced Monday.

The UN aviation agency said its governing council will expand from 36 to 40 member states, while its technical advisory body, the Air Navigation Commission, will increase from 19 to 21 members.

The changes took effect after Ecuador deposited instruments of ratification on Friday for two protocols adopted in Montreal in 2016 that amend Articles 50(a) and 56 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, commonly known as the Chicago Convention.

ICAO said both protocols required ratification by 128 states to enter into force, and Ecuador became the 128th country to do so.

“Broader representation of states and their priorities at the ICAO Council and Air Navigation Commission will enable ICAO to optimize the safe, secure, and sustainable development of air transport for all,” ICAO Council President Toshiyuki Onuma said in a statement.

He thanked countries that had ratified the amendments, saying they had demonstrated their commitment to international air transport and its benefits for the global community.

The ICAO Council serves as the organization's governing body and is responsible for considering proposals put forward by the Air Navigation Commission, its principal technical body overseeing aviation standards and procedures.

Following the amendments' entry into force, the Council will consider convening an extraordinary session of the ICAO Assembly to elect four additional Council members. It will also consider appointing two new members to the Air Navigation Commission.

Headquartered in Montreal, ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations comprising 193 member states. The organization develops global standards and policies for civil aviation and supports their implementation worldwide.

The expansion comes as ICAO pursues its long-term goals of achieving safer, more sustainable air transport by 2050, including a target of net-zero carbon emissions and eliminating fatalities in international aviation.

Source: ICAO