At 10th aviation summit, stakeholders draw road map for Africa’s sector recovery 

• 34 African airlines represented

The 10^th Aviation Stakeholders Convention hosted by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Kenya Airways kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya at the Emara Ole-Sereni hotel.

The two-day convention will provide a platform for showcasing new developments and innovations in aviation, discussing industry business trends, networking, and forging new partnerships.

The Convention, under the theme,  “Beyond the crisis”, brings together over 500 delegates from 47 countries across the globe who are attending both physically and virtually.

The Convention is one of Africa’s major forums for air transport industry stakeholders to dialogue, and exchange knowledge and experiences for the development of the travel ecosystem.

A total of 34 African airlines are represented at the event, with 12 airline CEOs in attendance.

Speaking at the convention on the importance of establishing lasting relationships and partnerships between aviation stakeholders for the benefit of African Aviation, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé emphasized the need to draw out-of-the-box solutions and regional initiatives for Africa

“AFRAA, in coordination with African Union Commission (AUC), African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), and African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG), will convene the first lab meeting to be held from 27 June 27th to July 1, 2022.

“I call upon stakeholders to join this noble initiative which will bring experts from various sectors to craft solutions to transform business in the region and ensure the efficient development of intra-Africa air transport.”

Dr. Joseph K. Njoroge, CBS, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Transport Government of Kenya commended the various actions taken by aviation industry players such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), AFRAA, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the AUC to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on civil aviation as a whole and the strategies crafted to sustainably recover.

He called upon continued cooperation for resilient recovery and growth of the industry noting, “Among the industry actions for recovery by airlines is the enhanced cooperation and collaboration. This will establish stronger and more efficient airlines with business models that will allow them to compete internationally and improve Africa’s air traffic market share which is currently very low.”

Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways emphasized the importance of exchanging knowledge and experiences to inspire sustainable and resilient aviation, saying, “COVID-19 posed the greatest risk to the aviation sector but we remained resilient as an industry and carried on. Planes continued to fly, delivering tonnes of freight, bringing our people home from overseas, and keeping people connected with their families across the continent.

“As we fly towards a better future, sustainability will be a key priority for Africa’s aviation sector. Our current ecosystem provides us with the necessary ingredients to maximise our efficiencies and productivity by evaluating strategic areas of synergies that can demonstrate effective ways of doing business and this can only be achieved through shared experiences and learning that will ensure business continuity as we are doing today.”

Highlights of the event were a discussion on the aviation ecosystem which stakeholders deliberated on yesterday and today which focus on the various ongoing and expected actions towards the revamping of the air transport industry in the context of the African continent.

The convention marks the return to AFRAA’s in-person events after a two-year period of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

The presence of several African airline CEOs is a true testament to the leaders’ readiness and dedication to support aviation recovery and rebuild a sustainable resilient future.

Wole Shadare