On April 19, 2022, a regular meeting of the ECHO Sub-Working Group under the ICAO EUR/NAT Aviation Security Group (ENAVSECG) under the auspices of the ICAO Aviation Security Regional Office Europe and North Atlantic was held online.

ENAVSECG was established in 2012 to strengthen aviation security at the regional level and enhance cooperation between all stakeholders in the field of aviation security.

All members of the ECHO Working Group have the same rights and obligations. The Chairman (representative of Portugal), two Vice-Chairmen (representatives from IATA and Kazakhstan) and the working group report to ENAVSECG.

The webinar was attended by the Deputy General Director for Aviation Security Darkhan Espotanov and the Director of the Aviation Security Department Darkhan Katyshev, who is also the Deputy Head of this ECNO working subgroup.

The report of Darkhan Katyshev on the development of a methodology for identifying the prevailing needs in the field of aviation security, including those related to the COVID-19 crisis, requiring acute attention from the participating States, was understood and supported by all members of the working group.

The purpose of the working group is to create an effective mechanism to promote and assist States in the European and North Atlantic region in achieving the key priorities of the ICAO Global Plan for Aviation Security and the quality implementation of ICAO standards and recommended practices.

At this meeting, the Sub-Group discussed the appropriate mechanisms to achieve sustainable capacity building of available resources with aviation security needs, gathering information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging risks in the aviation security system.

The participants of the webinar were given recommendations and demonstrated methods of capacity building, as well as two analytical needs assessment spreadsheets.

This ECHO initiative will help develop a mechanism to match existing resources with existing needs for the benefit of all 56 countries in the EUR/NAT region and possibly beyond.