India to host regional aviation security conference

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Top aviation security expertsfrom various countries would gather here on Monday to discusschanging threat perceptions to the sector and review whetheraviation security activities were being carried out on thelines recommended by the global aviation body ICAO.

The Regional Aviation Security Conference, to be heldunder the aegis of UN body International Civil AviationOrganization (ICAO), would evolve an aviation security roadmapwhich can be used by countries to proactively and jointlycounter and prevent acts of unlawful interference againstglobal civil aviation, an official spokesperson said.

The four-day conference would review the compliance byvarious nations on the Security Declaration made in the 37thICAO Assembly last year and carry out a risk overview of therecent developments in aviation security.

The Declaration had laid out a comprehensive aviationsecurity strategy, focusing on seven key areas, including waysto address new kinds of threats, efficient securityapproaches, promoting sharing of information amongst nationsand improving the human factor and security culture.

The detailed declaration also recommended mutualrecognition of aviation security procedures followed bydifferent countries, apart from standardising the securityapproaches.

The conference would be attended by ICAO SecretaryGeneral Raymond Benjamin, who earlier headed ICAO''s AviationSecurity branch, besides representatives from InternationalAir Transport Association, Airports Council International,European Civil Aviation Conference, US Transportation SecurityAdministration and Department of Transport of the UK.

Delegates from several countries in the region,including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Afghanistan, Pakistan,Nepal, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore,Thailand, Malaysia and Bhutan would be attending the meet.

The conference will be followed by a two-day AviationSecurity Training programme for senior executives of theIndian aviation industry.