AFRAA convention focus on continuous cooperation of African airlines for resilient recovery of the sector

ZAINAB JUNAID
This year’s Aviation Stakeholders Convention organised by African Airlines Association (AFRAA) in conjunction with the Kenya Airways has encouraged continuous cooperation among African Aviation stakeholders in order for the industry to gain resilient recovery.
The two-day event which was held in Nairobi, Kenya at the Emara Ole-Sereni hotel provides a platform for showcasing new developments and innovations in aviation, discussing industry business trends, networking, and forging new partnerships.
The 10th year Convention, under the theme, “Beyond the crisis”, had over 500 delegates from 47 countries across the globe in attendance both physically and virtually. A total of 34 African airlines are represented at the event, with 12 airline CEOs in attendance. AFRAA 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 industry in the region. .
Speaking at the convention, Dr. Joseph K. Njoroge, CBS, 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 urged aviation stakeholders to continously cooperate with each other for resilient recovery and growth of the industry.
“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 lo, ” he said.
Also speaking 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.”
Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways, added value of important as he emphasized on 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.”