UN urges enhancing aviation security to thwart terrorist threat
NAN-F-25
Aviation
New York, Sept. 22, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Countries must prevent terrorists from targeting air travel by complying with existing international guidelines on aviation security and enhancing information-sharing, the UN Security Council said on Thursday.
In a resolution passed unanimously during a ministerial-level meeting, the council did not impose new obligations on counties.
The council stressed the importance of adhering to existing security guidelines developed and monitored by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The global aviation industry, which has developed just over the past century, now facilitates 3 billion air travels annually.
It noted that “states are dependent on the effectiveness of each others’ aviation security systems.
“This is because of the global nature of air travel, the council urged countries to strengthen security screening procedures and cooperate on information sharing and border protection,’’ the council said.
British Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, said that the document and the meeting, which was the first time the council dealt with the threat of terrorism to air travel, were a “resounding call to action.
“Civil aviation faces an evolving danger from terrorists who probe relentlessly for chinks in our collective armour.
“We all depend on each other to provide a secure aviation environment,’’ he said.(NAN)
OYE/AMY
Edited by Damilola Oyewole and Abdullahi Yusuf