The Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) participated in the 3rd Meeting of the ICAO Integrated Risk Management Study Group (IRM-SG/3) held at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, from 8 to 10 September 2026.
The meeting brought together experts from ICAO and Member States and organizations involved in the development of the Integrated Risk Management (IRM) framework, with the objective of further advancing a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the identification, assessment and management of risks affecting international civil aviation.
The agenda focused, in particular, on two key areas, Review of the IRM Guide, taking into consideration the comments and inputs received from participating States and stakeholders, with a view to further improving its structure, clarity and practical applicability; as well as review of Working Papers addressing the future work of the Study Group, including proposals aimed at defining the next phase of development and implementation of the IRM approach within ICAO.
The Arab Organization contributed to discussions regarding the IRM development project, particularly concerning the establishment of a consistent and integrated governance framework spanning three levels: strategic, tactical, and operational.
In this context, ACAO highlighted the value of moving progressively from a predominantly sectoral approach towards a more interconnected risk-management approach, enabling safety, security, air navigation, environmental, economic and other strategic considerations to be addressed in a coherent and comprehensive manner, while respecting the specific mandates and responsibilities of the different aviation domains.
The participation of ACAO in the meeting also provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with ICAO and other international partners and to ensure that the perspectives and priorities of the Arab Civil Aviation community continue to be reflected in the development of this emerging strategic approach.
The discussions during IRM-SG/3 represented an important step towards consolidating the final version ICAO IRM guide which is expected to be published as advanced unedited edition in November of this year. ACAO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting ICAO's efforts in this area and to contributing its regional expertise to the development of practical mechanisms and tools that can enhance risk-informed decision-making process.
