Montreal
Well, it's nice to know that I've been living under a rock . . . . had not previously seen news of Amb. Sullenberger's resignation.
In fairness to ICAO - I mean as an organization or entity, and also a place where many dedicated people at all levels devote much effort - it predates the UN. The Chicago Convetion of 1944, its Annexes, the SARPs and much more, have contributed greatly to the safety, efficiency, and overall vitality of civil aviation sectors in many countries (I mean, Member States) and internationally. Of course it's within the UN umbrella today, but that shouldn't be the reply to all interest in its work or proceedings.
I have no idea why, exactly, the Ambassador has tendered a resignation. Perhaps it is because within the past several years, the Organization has seemed captivated, or maybe "captured, occupied and indentured" is more accurate, to certain aspects of climate change orthodoxy - while at the same time proving feckless against actual present-day aviation matters (RyanAir diversion, Ukrainian Int'l shootdown, MH17, to name some prominent cases). Plus it evidently is lacking anything like cutting-edge, insightful developmental work on preparing to cope with the coming onslaught of en masse cockpit automation (and ATM automation, and higher airspace traffic and usage, and AI . . . .) at least as well as global civil aviation coped with, say, the arrival of the Jet Age, the arrival also of wide-body aircraft (massive traffic growth) and two-engine overwater ops, you know, the pre-Instagram stuff.
This isn't to say that dealing with concepts, and terminology or phrasing within formal certification regulations, about levels of aviation skills, knowledge and abilities would be a subject matter where ICAO could or should take the lead. But at the same time, I think if and when a solution, at least a workable solution from an operational as well as engineering standpoint, finally is found, it would be better by far if ICAO and its various outputs were in alignment.
Cognescenti will recognize the source for this line, but I'm exercising caution in stating attribution; an airline enmeshed at the time in a matter of international civil aviation diplomatic controversy claimed its operations were "the business of freedom." There is something to that notion. Maybe a lot of something. Anyhow, and much to this attorney-and-SLF's disappoinment, the upcoming Assembly in Montreal just won't be the same without the class, eminence and integrity brought to the role of U.S. Permanent Rep.