Nairobi, 3 décembre 2021 – Le travail louable accompli par les chercheurs sud-africains, qui ont mis en evidence la souche Omicron du SARS CoV-2 et l’ont annoncée de manière transparente au monde entier, n’a pas suscité d’applaudissements, mais des restrictions de voyage draconiennes et non coordonnées. Malheureusement, près de deux ans après la découverte de la Covid-19, il semble que nous n’avons pas appris de leçons utiles qui pourraient nous permettre de trouver une solution permanente à la pandémie.

Des réactions impulsives, antiscientifiques et mal ciblées, qui n’ont pas beaucoup aidé à contenir le virus SARS CoV-2 depuis mars 2020 semblent être la réponse privilégiée aux défis scientifiques de notre époque. Les restrictions de voyages n’ont jamais été la solution pour enrayer la propagation de la COVID. Au contraire, ces restrictions ont eu un impact négatif sur les économies et ont entraîné des difficultés indescriptibles.

Dans le cas de l’Omicron, la décision hâtive de certains pays de l’Union européenne d’interdire les voyages vers l’Afrique du Sud et d’autres pays voisins de l’Afrique australe contraste fortement avec les nombreux appels ignorés lancés au monde occidental pour qu’il garantisse un accès équitable aux vaccins dans le monde entier. L’accumulation des stocks de vaccins excédentaires dont ils n’auront peut-être jamais besoin aux dépens des pays en développement qui font une longue queue pour s’approvisionner, est une démonstration inouïe que le monde développé n’a pas encore pleinement compris que le virus covid19 ne fait pas de discrimination.

Abdérahmane Berthé, Secrétaire Général de l’AFRAA, a déclaré en substance que: « La variante Omicron est désormais détectée dans plusieurs régions du monde, mais les embargos de voyage ne semblent que viser l’Afrique. C’est un affront aux efforts déployés dans le monde entier pour trouver une solution durable. Nous serons mieux armés pour affronter le virus si nous œuvrons ensemble pour la recherche de solutions et si nous évitons la discrimination. »

« Pourquoi cibler l’Afrique alors que le virus est également signalé dans d’autres régions? Toute tentative de stigmatiser l’Afrique par le biais d’interdictions de voyage est vouée à l’échec. Nous ne devons pas faire la confusion entre la politique et la science. » M. Berthé a souligné.

L’Association des compagnies aériennes africaines (AFRAA) lance donc un appel à tous les pays qui ont émis des restrictions unilatérales de voyage à les révoquer immédiatement et à rechercher plutôt des mesures de collaboration qui permettront de relever le défi de la COVID de manière holistique. Outre la vaccination, il existe des protocoles éprouvés qui se sont révélés efficaces pour freiner la propagation de la covid19. Ceux-ci doivent continuer à s’appliquer pendant que nous travaillons ensemble à la neutralisation ou à l’élimination du virus.

L’AFRAA exhorte également les gouvernements africains à s’élever contre toute tentative de salir le continent par la propagande et la maladresse médicale. Ils doivent rappeler au monde que nous ne pouvons vaincre la Covid qu’ensemble et non divisés.

Nairobi, 03 December 2021 – The commendable work done by South African scientists in unearthing and transparently announcing to the world the discovery of the Omicron strain of SARS CoV-2 instead of attracting applause was met with harsh and uncoordinated travel restrictions. Unfortunately, in nearly two years since Covid-19 was first discovered, it appears we have not learned useful lessons that could lead to finding a permanent solution to the pandemic.

The unscientific, poorly targeted, knee-jerk reactions that have not helped much in containing the SARS CoV-2 virus since March 2020 seem to be the preferred response to scientific challenges of our time. Restricting travel has never been the solution to curtailing the spread of COVID. On the contrary, such restrictions have adversely impacted economies and unleash untold hardship.

In the case of Omicron, the hasty decisions by some EU countries to ban travel to South Africa and other neighbouring countries in Southern Africa, is in stark contrast to the numerous unheeded appeals to the western world to ensure equitable access to vaccines around the world. While stockpiling excess vaccines they may never need at the expense of developing countries that remain in a long queue for their supplies, the developed world is yet to fully understand that COVID19 virus does not discriminate.

AFRAA Secretary General, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé stated: “The Omicron variant is now detected in several regions of the world, yet the travel bans seem to be targeted at Africa. This is an affront to the global efforts to find an enduring solution. We will be better off confronting the virus if we work together for solutions and avoid discrimination.”

“Why target Africa when the virus is reported in other regions as well? Any attempts to stigmatize Africa through travel bans will not work. We should not confuse politics with science.” Mr. Berthé added.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) is calling on all countries that have issued unilateral travel restriction to immediately revoke them and instead seek collaborative measures that will address the COVID challenge holistically. Besides vaccination, there are tried and tested protocols that have proven effective in curbing the spread of covid19. These must continue to apply while we work together towards neutralizing or eliminating the virus.

AFRAA is also urging African governments to speak out at any attempts to smear the continent with propaganda and medical mischief. They must remind the world that we can only defeat Covid together not divided.

Please download the Press Releases here:

AFRAA Statement: Travel Ban on Africa is not the Solution to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Communiqué de presse: L’embargo de voyage sur l’Afrique n’est pas la solution à la pandémie de la COVID-19

17 novembre 2021, Nairobi, Kenya :

Lors de la 53^ème Assemblée générale annuelle et Sommet de l’AFRAA qui s’est achevée aujourd’hui, les dirigeants et décideurs du transport aérien ont établi une feuille de route pour la transformation et le développement économique du transport aérien en Afrique. L’événement s’est déroulé sous le parrainage du gouvernement angolais sous le thème :«Chemin vers l’écosystème de voyage résilient de l’Afrique».

L’AGA de l’AFRAA est le plus grand rassemblement des PDG des compagnies aériennes africaines et des dirigeants de l’aviation de haut niveau  en Afrique et dans le monde. L’événement de cette année a été parrainé par TAAG Angola Airlines en format virtuel. L’Assemblée a réuni plus de 400 délégués de 51 nationalités à travers le monde, comprenant des décideurs et des leaders de l’aviation. Des associations internationales et régionales de transport aérien, notamment l’Union africaine, l’IATA, l’OACI, l’AFCAC et l’ALTA, étaient également représentées lors de l’événement.

L’invité d’honneur, l’honorable Ricardo de Abreu, ministre des transports de la République d’Angola, a déclaré dans son discours d’ouverture que : « la présente AGA est l’occasion idéale pour se pencher sur l’avenir de l’aviation africaine et renforcer l’engagement des parties prenantes afin de permettre à tous les secteurs de nos économies de bénéficier des multiples avantages. L’échec n’est pas une option, ensemble nous réussirons. Il a souligné les diverses mesures et initiatives prises par le gouvernement angolais pour améliorer le secteur de l’aviation et faire de Luanda un hub efficace».

M. Abdérahmane Berthé, Secrétaire général de l’AFRAA, a déclaré en substance que : « L’Assemblée de cette année nous donne l’occasion de repenser notre secteur et de développer une perspective résiliente et durable pour l’industrie du transport aérien. L’AFRAA demeurera fidèle à sa mission qui est de promouvoir et de servir les compagnies aériennes africaines et de défendre le secteur aérien africain – De meilleurs cieux pour l’Afrique – qui reste le pilier de toutes nos actions».

En ce qui concerne la reprise, M. Berthé a souligné que les ingrédients d’un redémarrage réussi sont les suivants : les mesures pour des voyages en sécurité, la suppression des restrictions aux voyages, le soutien financier aux compagnies aériennes, la technologie pour façonner la « nouvelle normalité », la réinvention et la redéfinition des modèles d’affaires des compagnies aériennes, la coopération entre les compagnies aériennes africaines et la confiance des passagers.

Dans son allocution, le Président de l’AFRAA pour 2021, M. Rui Carreira, a déclaré que :  « La présente AGA offre un forum unique aux compagnies aériennes et aux parties prenantes pour discuter, partager des idées et explorer les solutions qui peuvent être mises en œuvre pour la rapide restauration du secteur aérien. Les compagnies aériennes africaines doivent profiter de cette occasion pour sortir, plus fortes et plus résistantes, de la crise afin de relever les défis du secteur. La coopération et la collaboration entre les compagnies aériennes africaines par le biais d’initiatives telles que la coordination des réseaux et la maîtrise conjointe des coûts sont autant d’initiatives qui permettront aux compagnies aériennes de surmonter rapidement les effets de la pandémie. »

Tendances positives vers la reprise

Une analyse approfondie des perspectives de l’industrie faite au cours de l’Assemblée a indiqué que les compagnies aériennes sont sur une trajectoire positive de reprise, étant donné que les compagnies aériennes africaines avaient rouvert 81,3 % de leurs routes internationales en octobre 2021 et que la reprise en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient a été plus harmonieuse et plus constante qu’en Europe et en Asie. Cependant en Afrique, la croissance sous-régionale est variée et guidée par des dynamiques de marché différentes.

L’analyse a en outre révélé que les compagnies aériennes africaines ont augmenté leur flotte régionale depuis 2020, ce qui permet une pénétration plus profonde du marché et un meilleur flux. La capacité de fret africaine a augmenté de 33 % depuis 2019 et les coefficients de remplissage de ce dernier se sont améliorés de 9 % par rapport aux niveaux d’avant la pandémie. L’aube de la reprise est un moment décisif pour redéfinir les plans stratégiques des cinq prochaines années.

Résolutions relative au secteur

L’Assemblée s’est terminée par l’adoption de trois (3) résolutions pour faire avancer la cause de l’aviation africaine :

1. Résolution relative à la réouverture protégée des frontières

Reconnaissant que la réouverture sûre des frontières de manière harmonisée est essentielle pour le redémarrage efficace de l’aviation africaine, l’Assemblée a demandé aux gouvernements africains de supprimer les restrictions aux frontières et d’ouvrir leurs marchés pour la relance du secteur avec le concours des normes et des documents d’orientation du plan de redémarrage du secteur. L’Assemblée a par ailleurs lancé un appel aux gouvernements africains pour qu’ils accélèrent le déploiement rapide des vaccins sur le continent afin de faciliter le redémarrage des économies et du transport aérien.

2. Résolution relative à l’appui financier aux compagnies aériennes

Reconnaissant l’importance de l’appui financier pour la relance du secteur du transport aérien, l’Assemblée a lancé un appel aux gouvernements africains afin qu’ils accordent l’appui et l’assistance  financiers tant nécessaires pour les compagnies aériennes africaines et pour le secteur aérien africain en général.

3. Résolution relative à l’approche conceptuelle de laboratoire afin de réaliser la durabilité des compagnies aériennes africaines

Reconnaissant l’importance d’aborder la question de la durabilité et de la compétitivité du transport aérien en Afrique, l’Assemblée a préconisé un laboratoire réunissant toutes les parties prenantes concernées pour une opportunité de transformation en vue du développement économique du transport aérien en Afrique. Le Secrétariat de l’AFRAA, en concertation avec la Commission de l’Union Africaine (CUA), la Commission Africaine de l’Aviation Civile (AFCAC) et le Groupe de l’industrie aérienne africaine (AAIG), organisera le laboratoire avant la fin du mois de mars 2022.

Les officiels de l’Association pour 2022 

La 53ème AGA de l’AFRAA a élu M. Ibrahima Kane, Directeur Général d’Air Sénégal,  comme Président de l’Association pour l’exercice 2022. Le capitaine Pascal Kasongo Mwema, directeur général de Congo Airways, Mme Yvonne Makolo, directrice générale de RwandAir, et M. Mohamed Khalifa Biyah, directeur général  de Mauritania Airlines, ont été réélus respectivement président, premier et deuxième vice-présidents pour le même exercice.

Hôte de la 54^ème AGA

Air Sénégal accueillera la 54^ème Assemblée Générale Annuelle qui se tiendra en novembre 2022 à Dakar, Sénégal.

FIN

À propos de l’AFRAA

L’Association des compagnies aériennes africaines, également connue sous le sigle AFRAA, est une association professionnelle de compagnies aériennes des États membres de l’Union africaine (UA). Fondée à Accra, au Ghana en avril 1968 et ayant son siège à Nairobi, Kenya. L’AFRAA a pour mission de promouvoir et de servir les compagnies aériennes africaines et de défendre l’industrie aérienne africaine. L’Association a la vision d’un secteur du transport aérien durable, interconnecté et abordable en Afrique, où les compagnies aériennes africaines deviennent des acteurs clés et des moteurs du développement économique africain.

Les 46 compagnies aériennes membres de l’AFRAA couvrent l’ensemble du continent et comprennent tous les grands opérateurs intercontinentaux africains. Les membres de l’Association représentent plus de 85% de tout le  trafic international transporté par les compagnies aériennes africaines.

À propos de TAAG Angola

TAAG Angola Airlines S.A (en portugais : TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola S.A.) est la compagnie aérienne étatique et le transporteur national de l’Angola. Basée à Luanda, la compagnie aérienne exploite une flotte mixte de Boeing et de Havilland Dash 8 Q400 pour des services domestiques, des services moyen-courriers en Afrique et des services long-courriers vers le Brésil, le Cuba et le Portugal. Au départ la compagnie aérienne a été créée, en 1938 par le gouvernement sous le nom de DTA, Divisão dos Transportes Aéreos, puis rebaptisée, en 1973 TAAG Angola Airlines  et a obtenu, en 1975, le statut de transporteur national. La TAAG est actuellement membre de l’Association des compagnies aériennes africaines et de l’Association internationale du transport aérien. Elle entretient des partenariats commerciaux avec Kenya Airways, South African Airways, LAM, Royal Air Maroc, Air France, KLM et Lufthansa et Brussels Airlines.

Nairobi, Kenya – 17 November, 2021: Air transport leaders and decision makers set a roadmap for transformation and the economic development of air transport in Africa at the 53rd AFRAA Annual General Assembly & Summit that has concluded today. The event was held under the patronage of the Government of Angola under the theme: “Flightpath to Africa’s resilient travel ecosystem.”

The AFRAA AGA is the premier gathering of African airline CEOs and high level aviation executives in Africa and across the globe. This year’s event was hosted by TAAG Angola Airlines in virtual format. The Assembly brought together over 400 delegates from 51 nationalities across the globe comprising of decision-makers and aviation leaders. International and regional air transport associations including the African union, IATA, ICAO, AFCAC, ALTA were also represented at the event.

The Chief Guest, Honorable Ricardo de Abreu, the Transport Minister of the Republic of Angola in his opening speech remarked: “This AGA is the perfect occasion to address the future of African Aviation and enhance stakeholders’ commitment to enable the multitude of benefits to be experienced across all sectors of our economies. Failure is not an option, together we will succeed. He highlighted various ongoing measures and initiatives by the Angolan Government to improve the aviation sector and develop Luanda into an efficient hub.”

Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA’s Secretary General, stated: “This year’s Assembly provides an opportunity to rethink our industry and develop a resilient and sustainable perspective for the airline industry. AFRAA will keep by our mission to promote and serve African airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry – Better Skies for Africa – remains the pillar of all our actions.”

Looking at recovery, Mr. Berthé highlighted that the ingredients for successful restart include: Safe travel measures, removal of travel restrictions, financial support to airlines, technology to shape the ‘new normal’, reinvention and redefinition of airline business models, cooperation among African airlines and passenger confidence.

AFRAA 2021 President, Mr. Rui Carreira in his remarks stated: “This AGA presents a unique forum for airlines and stakeholders to discuss, share ideas and explore solutions that can be implemented to rapidly restore the airline industry. African airlines should utilize this opportunity to emerge stronger and more resilient out of the crisis to face the challenges of the industry. Cooperation and collaboration among African airlines through initiatives such as network coordination and joint cost containment are among the initiatives that will enable airlines rapidly overcome the impacts of the pandemic.”

Positive trends into recovery
An in-depth analysis of the industry’s outlook made during the Assembly indicated that there are positive trends of airlines into recovery, noting that African airlines had reopened 81.3% of their international routes in October 2021 and recovery in Africa & Middle East has been smoother and steadier than in Europe and Asia. However, the sub-regional growth in Africa is varied and driven by different market dynamics.

The analysis further revealed that African airlines have been growing regional fleet since 2020, allowing a deeper market penetration and a better feed. African cargo capacity grew by 33% since 2019 and cargo load factors improved by 9% from pre-pandemic levels. The dawn of recovery is critical time to redefine strategic plans for the next five years

Industry Resolutions
The Assembly concluded with the adoption of three (3) industry resolutions to advance the cause of African aviation:

i. Resolution on safe reopening of borders
Recognizing that safe reopening of borders in a harmonized manner is critical for the efficient restart of African aviation, the Assembly urged African governments to remove border restrictions and open their markets to restart the industry with support from Industry Restart Plan Standards and guidance documentation. The Assembly further called upon African governments to accelerate the rapid roll out of vaccines across the continent and embrace the use of digital technology health platforms to facilitate the restart of economies and air transport.

ii. Resolution on financial support to African airlines
Recognizing the importance of financial support for the recovery of the air transport industry, the Assembly called upon African governments to extend the much-needed financial support and relief to African airlines and the African aviation industry at large.

iii. Resolution on Lab concept approach for attainment of sustainability of African airlines
Recognizing the importance of addressing the sustainability and competitiveness of Africa’s air transport, the Assembly called for a laboratory convening all relevant stakeholders as a transformation opportunity for the economic development of air transport in Africa. AFRAA Secretariat in coordination with the African Union Commission (AUC), The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), and the African Aviation Industry Group (AAIG) shall convene the LAB by the end of March 2022.

2022 Officials of the Association
The 53rd AFRAA AGA elected Mr Ibrahima Kane, Chief Executive Officer – Air Senegal as the President of the Association for the year 2022. Capt. Pascal Kasongo Mwema, Chief Executive of Congo Airways, Ms. Yvonne Makolo Chief Executive of RwandAir and Mr. Mohamed Khalifa Biyah, CEO of Mauritania Airlines were re-elected as the Chairman, 1st and 2nd Vice Chairmen for the year 2022 respectively.

Host of the 54th AGA
Air Senegal will host the 54th Annual General Assembly set to be held in November, 2022 in Dakar – Senegal.

The Press Release can be downloaded here

–END–
About AFRAA
The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa where African Airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development.

AFRAA membership of 46 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.

About TAAG Angola
TAAG Angola Airlines S.A (Portuguese: TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola S.A.) is the state-owned airline and flag carrier of Angola. Based in Luanda, the airline operates a mixed fleet of Boeing and Havilland Dash 8 Q400 on domestic services within Angola, medium-haul services in Africa and long-haul services to Brazil, Cuba, and Portugal. The airline was originally set up by the government as DTA – Divisão dos Transportes Aéreos in 1938, rechristened TAAG Angola Airlines in 1973, and gained flag carrier status in 1975. TAAG is currently a member of both the African Airlines Association and the International Air Transport Association. The airline has commercial partnerships with Kenya Airways, South African Airways, LAM, Royal Air Maroc, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines.

Nairobi, 29 October 2021 – The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) to support the socio-economic integration, prosperity and sustainable development of civil aviation in the regions represented by the two Associations.

The MoU was signed by Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA’s Secretary General and José Ricardo Botelho, ALTA’s Executive Director & CEO at the 2021 ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in Bogota, Colombia.

Under the framework of the collaboration, AFRAA and ALTA will work closely on actions to achieve common objectives for the mutual benefit of their membership on advocacy at global level, airline cost-saving best practices, airline financing, environmental sustainability, liberalization and connectivity, data exchange, training and addressing the subject of high taxes, charges and fees.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, AFRAA Secretary General, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé stated: “The airline industry in Africa faces various similar opportunities and challenges as those experienced in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. AFRAA is excited to forge a close working relationship with ALTA as this will facilitate the sharing of information and ideas to enhance the development of air transport and address the common challenges faced by airlines in our respective regions.”

The MoU synergizes the unique expertise and experience by both Associations. AFRAA and ALTA will hold regular meetings to review the implementation of the annual Action Plan and explore areas for future collaboration.

About   AFRAA

The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa where African Airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development.

AFRAA membership of 46 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Secretary General, AFRAA, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, today has received the Leadership Changemaker Award recognition by Aviators Africa.

The Award was presented at the Aviators Africa Tower Award ceremony that took place at the 3^rd Aviation Leadership CEOs Forum on 27 October 2021. The event was attended by aviation executives and industry leaders across Africa and beyond with the objective of changing the narrative around decision and policy making in Africa.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Mr. Berthé said: “Leadership is most successful when it relies on a good team. I dedicate this Award to the Executive Committee of AFRAA, the members of the Association and the AFRAA Secretariat team, in appreciation of their valuable support to my efforts since at the helm of AFRAA which have culminated to being ranked as a corporate leader in the African aviation industry.”

“This Award further emphasizes AFRAA’s leadership to represent and serve African airlines as we work closely with our members, partners, industry organizations, governments and stakeholders,” he added.

The Changemaker Award category was presented to individuals who have contributed immensely to the growth of African Aviation. This is in a bid to foster new thinking and promote healthy competition, originality, and creativity, for sustainable growth in the sector.

The Tower Awards recognise, celebrate, and honour excellence as well as sustainability within the African Aviation sector. the Tower Awards are positioned to be the foremost annual aviation event where airlines, airports, and the aviation value chain are celebrated in Africa.

The awardees will be inducted into Aviators Africa hall of fame.

About    AFRAA

The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa where African Airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development.

 AFRAA membership of 46 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Air Transport is the backbone of many economies across Africa and is critical for the integration of the African continent. One of aviation’s greatest potential markets is Africa. Africa has a young and rapidly urbanizing population of over 1.3 billion and aviation is the best, and sometimes the only, option for efficiently connecting this huge market.

As stakeholders continue to put in place measures to redefine and restart the travel industry, the attainment of gender diversity and the development of skilled aviation professionals remain vital for sustainability. The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) in partnership with Collins Aerospace staged a 2-day conference on 19-20 October to facilitate dialogue, share information, experiences and best practices to attain gender diversity and youth development in aviation.

The conference was held in virtual format under the theme: “Women and Youth Development in Aviation for a Sustainable Future”. The conference provided an ideal forum for air transport industry stakeholders to take stock of the trends, deliberate on feasible solutions to bridge the gender gap and develop young aviation professionals for the sustainability of the air transport sector.

Gender diversity remains a work in progress; a lot needs to be done

The conference presentations revealed that women numbers are still low in STEM-related careers and women are underrepresented in leadership positions in aviation. In the world’s top 100 airlines, just 3% of airline CEOs and COOs and 8% of CFOs are women according to a study done by IATA. The gender diversity in aviation is a work in progress, with slow improvements witnessed in the last decade, a lot more needs to be done.

Mr Abdérahmane Berthé – AFRAA Secretary General, in his remarks stated: “The ICAO and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) underscore the importance of gender equity to spur economic growth and promote social development. There is need to make the aviation industry more gender balanced at the national, international and global levels. Investing in women and youth has a multiplier effect on productivity as well as sustainable growth. For this to happen, governments, companies, organizations and all development actors need to enter a meaningful process of concrete actions.”

“Regarding the subject of youth, the development of skilled professionals in the aviation and aerospace industry in Africa is critical as a large contingent of the current aviation professionals will retire and the aviation growth will require more qualified and competent professionals. The Continent needs to train, develop and groom youth to meet the African global needs of the aviation industry of tomorrow,” Mr Berthé added.

Call to action
The forum articulated the following recommendations for action by the industry:

Actions for gender diversity
1. Training
i. Empowerment of women in aviation through training.
ii. Job and career fairs for women, youth and those with disabilities.
iii. Subsidies in training to facilitating access to learning and education
iv. Continuous learning and adoption of online training for skilling and re-skilling.

2. Collaboration across the industry
i. Call to all African airlines to sign up for the IATA 25by2025 initiative.
ii. Events and dialogue among stakeholders for collaborative measures on women empowerment in aviation.

3. Leadership and policy actions
i. Gender diversity commitment at Board and leadership level.
ii. Introduction and implementation of gender inclusivity programmes.
iii. Deliberate policies on women empowerment at State level and at organisation level.
iv. Enhancement of mentorship programmes.

Actions for youth development

1. Financing
i. Creation of an African Air Transport Fund to invest in skill development of the next generation aviation professionals in Africa.
ii. Prioritisation of aviation at government level and more support by governments to training initiatives.
iii. Enhance access to scholarship opportunities and adhere to transparent processes.

2. Training
i. Promotion of the Next Generation Aviation Professional (NGAP) program to blossom next generation aviation professionals,
ii. Tap into the Instructor Development Program for AFRAA Member Airlines (IDPA) for cost-effective training,
iii. Enhancement of mentorship by role models.
iv. Partnership drives/initiatives with schools.
v. Global entities to avail opportunities for youth development to African beneficiaries.

3. Communication
i. Communication and engagement of youth at early ages into aviation careers through outreach programmes.
ii. Events and networking to share perspectives and deliberate on opportunities and actions.

4. Employment opportunities
i. Call to airlines and aviation organisations to facilitate students to obtain on the job experience.
ii. Call for apprenticeship programmes by aviation entities and corporates to young aviation professionals.

The important conference brought together over 300 participants comprising of Travel and Tourism fraternity in Africa and across the globe

About    AFRAA

The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa where African Airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development.

AFRAA membership of 46 airlines cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.