Row Brews Over Bid to Move UN Air Freight and Passenger Authority (handyshippingguide.com)

May 3, 2013

Following representations made last week by the Qatari government to have the headquarters of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) moved permanently to Doha from Montreal where it has existed since its inception almost seventy years ago objections have been raised both in Canada and abroad. With the lease up on the current headquarters in 2016 and the Qatari offer to both build a brand new facility to house the organisation and fund its activities, many are taking the bid seriously. The ICAO is a dedicated United Nations agency whose responsibility covers all aspects of civil aviation, including the carriage of freight by air.

According to reports the Qatari’s complained that not only was Canada too far removed from the world’s key air freight and passenger routes but that the Canadians levied taxes at an unacceptable rate and made it problematic for delegates to obtain visa’s easily. The loss of ICAO HQ has come as a surprise to local officials who view it as a major potential embarrassment and with a vote due at the ICAO General Assembly in Montreal which ends on October 4 there will doubtless be some major lobbying to win the votes of the 191 member states.

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