PRESS RELEASE No 10/2010/IED

ADDIS ABABA HOST THE 42nd AFRICAN AIRLINES ASSOCIATION (AFRAA) ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Addis Ababa, 30 November 2010 – The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) held its 42nd Annual General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 21 to 23 November 2010.
A number of African air carriers and foreign airlines as well as key players in the aviation industry worldwide attended the Assembly. This important meeting was declared opened by the Honourable Deriba KUMA, Minister of Transport of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It was chaired by Mr. Girma WAKE, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines and President of AFRAA; and Mr. Tamrat Tewodros, Acting Secretary General of AFRAA, served the Assembly as Secretary.
The African Union Commission (AUC) was represented by Mr. Adiron ALBERTO, Senior Policy Officer (Air Transport). “The negotiation process of the Memorandum of Understanding between AUC and AFRAA has just been completed and the instrument will be signed shortly” he said during his opening remarks.
This event organized by AFRAA annually, was attended by approximately 350 participants. The proceedings of discussion sessions of key issues concerning air transport were divided into two: “CEOs Forum; and Special Presentations”.
The session on CEOs Forum was conducted under the theme “Transforming African Airlines industry to create opportunities”.
Throughout the discussion, two main aspects were noticed: the internal and external actions that should be taken individually and collectively in order to improve the Air transport area in Africa for the well being of the Companies as well as for the Consumers.
On the internal aspects: policy framework such as the Yamoussoukro decision, technical equipments renewal, trainings and new technology should be continuously improved for better servicing and results.
On the external aspect: African Airlines should dominate the Air transport market in the continent; establish and reinforce relationship, as well as sharing experience among themselves and with others actors; extend and research new continental and international markets; built strategic alliances, and more over, getting funds support from Government and Private/Public Partnership should be encouraged.
Good Airlines examples have been congratulated by the participants, such as the establishment of ASKY in which Ethiopian airlines owns shares and the initiative of the later with South Africa Airways and Egypt air to make a biggest alliance in the continent and create a joint feeder airline in Central Africa. The meeting also commended the creation of CELESTAIR Group in the continent.
Other aspects such as safety, infrastructure and Energy lacking in several African Members States are part of the factors hindering the development of Air transport in Africa. Harmonisation should be done in order to have a better and more efficient continental sky operation.
The meeting decided that the next Annual General Assembly will be held in November 2011 in Marrakech, Morocco.