Ministry Announces Indonesia's Bid for ICAO Council Seat

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Transportation has officially announced Indonesia’s candidacy for the 2026 term of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council. The nomination is a strategic step to strengthen Indonesia’s role and contribution to global civil aviation governance.

Indonesia previously held a seat on the ICAO Council for 12 consecutive terms from 1962 to 2001. The expansion of the Council’s membership from 36 to 40 countries provides an opportunity for Indonesia to resume its global contributions.

“This nomination is a strategic moment for Indonesia to return to the global civil aviation decision‑making table. Our track record as an ICAO Council member for 12 consecutive terms from 1962 to 2001 provides a foundation of confidence, and the Council’s expansion opens a significant opportunity for Indonesia to contribute once again,” said Director General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation, Lukman F. Laisa, in Jakarta on Monday, August 31, 2026.

Indonesia’s candidacy is based on its interests, capacity, experience, and track record in international civil aviation. The country comprises more than 17,000 islands, has a population of around 280 million, and oversees airspace spanning 7.7 million square kilometers.

Its location between the Pacific and Indian Oceans makes aviation essential for maintaining national connectivity. Aviation also serves as a strategic means of linking Indonesia with countries across the world.

“By the end of the first half of 2026, we had served 24.9 million domestic passengers and 18.5 million international passengers across 257 airports, with 297 domestic routes and 160 international routes operated by 14 national airlines and 59 foreign airlines,” Lukman said.

In terms of safety, the ICAO USOAP (Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme) audit recorded Indonesia’s Effective Implementation at 78.85 percent, surpassing the global average of 70.6 percent and the Asia‑Pacific average of 69.6 percent.

Meanwhile, in the ICAO USAP (Universal Security Audit Programme) aviation security audit, Indonesia achieved an Effective Implementation rate of 88.53 percent, far exceeding the global target of 75 percent and demonstrating progress in national aviation security.

“Our Effective Implementation in the ICAO USOAP audit was recorded at 78.85 percent, above both the global and Asia‑Pacific averages. In the ICAO USAP security audit, we achieved 88.53 percent, far surpassing the global target of 75 percent,” he said.

Indonesia has also provided training to more than 80 ICAO member states through the Indonesia–ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme. The vision of this candidacy, “Bridging Regions, Strengthening Global Aviation,” aims to enhance inter‑regional dialogue and cooperation.

The Ministry of Transportation hopes to secure the support of all stakeholders to help Indonesia regain a seat on the ICAO Council. This achievement is expected to contribute to the collective goal of ensuring the safety, security, and sustainability of global aviation. (Misni Parjiati)