ICAO–UPU Joint Statement on Strengthening the Security of Airmail

The global security environment is becoming more challenging and complex. Over the last 12 months, the global threat picture has evolved considerably, as we have seen sophisticated actors seeking to sabotage the air cargo and mail supply chains using improvised incendiary devices (IIDs), in addition to the longstanding risk posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A secure aviation sector, including air cargo and mail, supports trade, travel and connectivity – and as threats evolve, we must act.

There is no single measure that can fully mitigate these risks. Instead, it is essential to have a layered, risk-based approach anchored in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Annex 17 – Aviation Security to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, complemented by Universal Postal Union (UPU) security standards S58 and S59. These frameworks provide a strong foundation for ICAO Member States and UPU members, as well as regulated agents and postal operators, to apply security measures that are effective and commensurate with both threats. 

Security measures must also be appropriate to the evolving threat context, and implemented as part of a broader security system. A sustainable response to this context demands close coordination between all relevant stakeholders, such as regulators, operators, industry partners, and international organizations. 
 
In that regard, ICAO and the UPU jointly support a combination of policy, technology and capacity-building solutions, including: 
 

• promotion of effective policies and regulatory frameworks, building on many years of joint work by our two Organizations. This should include efforts to consider reviewing and adapting ICAO and UPU documents to better reflect today’s risks, e.g. ICAO’s Annex 17 and Aviation Security Manual (Doc 8973), as well as UPU’s S58 and S59 security standards;​​
• training for personnel involved in accepting, processing and screening mail, supported by strong aviation security culture initiatives within aviation security and postal stakeholders;
• use of cutting-edge screening tools, including advanced X-ray systems and explosive detection systems. By integrating these technologies into postal and air cargo operations, our respective members can improve security and efficiency;
• enhanced visibility and transmission of data pertaining to the secure supply chain and implementation of additional security precautions during acceptance of air cargo and mail;
• appropriate oversight and compliance monitoring activities at international level through the ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) and the UPU certification process, as well as at national level; and
• reaffirming our commitment to enhancing awareness, delivering targeted capacity-building initiatives, as well as hosting joint events, including webinars, to support regulatory compliance and interagency cooperation, and to ensure resilience of the global postal supply chain.

Together, these elements help ensure cargo and mail can continue to move safely and securely by air.

Accordingly, both ICAO and the UPU recognize that the postal and air cargo networks are a globally interconnected system. A weakness in one part of the chain can have consequences worldwide.

We therefore emphasize the importance of sustained cooperation and robust information sharing between postal operators, appropriate authorities for aviation security, regulated agents, aircraft operators, and intelligence agencies, to enable early detection and mitigation of aviation security threats. Regulators and industry must come together with effective and practical solutions to emerging threats, avoiding jeopardizing responses to longstanding ones.
 
We also acknowledge that measures and tools used to mitigate the safety risk posed by dangerous goods in airmail, may have broader applicability within the aviation security context for air cargo and mail. Exploring these cross-domain linkages is a key step forward.
 
Building on a longstanding partnership, ICAO and the UPU commit to enhanced cooperation aimed at further aligning our respective security frameworks, promoting innovation in screening technologies, and improving implementation through capacity-building efforts. Together, we will support our respective members and postal operators in adopting effective, practical and risk-based measures.
 
Through this joint statement, we demonstrate our united response and our collective commitment to secure air cargo and mail. The international community continues to take proactive and collaborative steps to enhance the security, integrity and efficiency of the interconnected global air cargo and mail supply chains.


Juan Carlos Salazar
Secretary General
International Civil Aviation Organization

Masahiko Metoki
Director General
Universal Postal Union

Find out more about ICAO-UPU partnership here.​
Read the ICAO news release here.
Visit the ICAO website here.