At the eleventh annual International Civil Aviation Organization Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN 2018) in Nairobi, Kenya, December 10-14, 2018, U.S. delegates met with counterparts from over 20 countries. The delegation negotiated new bilateral Open Skies Agreements, expanded and modernized existing agreements, pressed for fair treatment of U.S. companies, and promoted dialogue on new commercial aviation opportunities worldwide.

On December 12, the U.S. and Haitian delegations agreed, ad referendum, on the text of their first bilateral Open Skies Air Transport Agreement. Such agreements establish fair ground rules to facilitate growth of an efficient, international aviation network.

On December 14, the U.S. and Colombian delegations agreed, ad referendum, to amend the 2011 U.S.-Colombia Air Transport Agreement to permit seventh-freedom rights for all-cargo operations, allowing flights between a second and third country without touching the airline’s home country, and to modernize air charter provisions.

The U.S. delegation, led by Department of State Senior Advisor Terri Robl, included representatives from the Departments of State and Transportation. Information on U.S. aviation policy and Open Skies agreements currently in force is available on the Department of State’s website here: https://www.state.gov/e/eb/tra/ata/