China’s Fang Liu Becomes First-Ever Female ICAO Secretary General

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has appointed Dr. Fang Liu of China as the new Secretary General of the Organization for a three-year term, beginning August 1, 2015.

Dr Liu succeeds Raymond Benjamin of France, who has held the position for two consecutive terms since 2009. She becomes the first woman ever to be appointed to the prestigious global position heading the United Nations specialized agency for civil aviation, and only the second ICAO Secretary General from an Asia Pacific State.

The Director of ICAO’s Bureau of Administration and Services since 2007, Dr Liu has led many improvement initiatives in ICAO in recent years and served as the Chairperson of some of its most important internal committees. She has also represented ICAO at the High-Level Committee on Management under the UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination, and separately served as Chairperson of the Security Advisory Group and Vice-Chairperson of the Security Management Team for all UN Organizations in Canada.

Between 1987 and 2007, Dr Liu held the posts of Legal Counsel, Deputy Director, Director and Deputy Director General in the Department of International Affairs and Cooperation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

In these capacities she either led or was integrally involved in the areas of international affairs and cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels including ICAO, aviation policy, international air transport regulation and development, and bilateral and multilateral air services negotiations for the Chinese government. She also served for four years as Chair of the Aviation Group for the region’s premier forum on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Dr Liu is fluent in Chinese and English and has a good command of French. She holds a PhD in international law from Wuhan University, and has an extensive educational background in the areas of both international and air and space law.

PHOTO CAPTION: Dr Fang Liu of China (left) accepts the thanks and congratulations of the ICAO Council after being appointed the first woman to serve as ICAO Secretary General, commencing 1 August 2015. She is seated beside current ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin of France (centre) and ICAO Council President Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu of Nigeria.