The 10th Aviation Stakeholders Convention, hosted by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Kenya Airways (KQ), ended May 10 in Nairobi at the Emara Ole-Sereni hotel.
The two-day convention provided a platform to showcase new developments and innovations in aviation, discussing industry business trends, networking and forging new partnerships.
The Convention was hosted under the theme: Beyond the crisis and was attended by over 500 delegates from 47 countries across the globe. The Convention is one of Africa’s major forums for air transport industry stakeholders to dialogue, exchange knowledge and experiences for the development of the travel ecosystem. A total of 34 African airlines were 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, 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 Avation Commision (AFCAC), and African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG), will convene the first lab meeting to be held from 27 June to 01 July 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 Kenya Airways emphasized on the importance of exchanging knowledge and experiences to inspire a sustainable and resilient aviation.
“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.
He also said that “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 learnings that will ensure business continuity as we are doing today.”
On May 7, the Convention started with a CSR activity aimed at empowering the next generation of aviators at the Kenya Airways Pride Center. The event was sponsored by Collins Aerospace and staged in collaboration with AFRAA and Kenya Airways.
Over 130 High School students from 7 schools in Kenya benefited from the session aimed at supporting youth development in aviation.
Delegates had the opportunity to network and discuss developments in the industry and forge business partnerships. It also featured master classes where cutting-edge ideas, industry best practices, new opportunities and practical solutions were presented and discussed.
