Africa aviation leaders to meet in Addis as industry pushes safety and connectivity reforms

March 10, 2026 in Infrastructure, Transport, Travel & Tourism by Editor

African aviation leaders will meet in Addis Ababa in April to assess progress in improving safety, expanding connectivity and modernising operational systems across the continent, as the industry seeks to convert rising demand for air travel into sustainable growth.

 

African aviation leaders will gather in Addis Ababa in late April to evaluate progress in reforming the continent’s fragmented air transport sector, as the industry works to address persistent safety gaps, regulatory fragmentation and limited connectivity that continue to constrain growth.

The IATA Focus Africa Conference will take place on April 29–30 in Addis Ababa under the theme “Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity, and Operational Efficiency in Africa.” Just like the previous three editions, the conference is hosted by Ethiopian Airlines and organised by the International Air Transport Association.

The meeting comes passenger demand across the continent continues to grow steadily, yet the sector still struggles with high operating costs, regulatory fragmentation and relatively weak intra-African connectivity compared with other regions.

“Aviation has the potential to do much more to enable Africa’s economic and social development,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

According to Alawadhi, improving safety standards, harmonising regulations and reducing operational costs will be central priorities for the industry as it prepares to support annual demand growth of between three and four percent across the continent.

The Addis Ababa gathering forms part of the broader Focus Africa initiative, which IATA launched in 2023 to address structural barriers limiting aviation’s contribution to economic development. The programme aims to align governments, regulators and airlines around practical reforms to strengthen the continent’s aviation ecosystem.

Since its launch, the initiative has produced several operational developments. Among them has been support for the rollout of combined Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems, widely known as API-PNR, in twelve African countries. These systems enable airlines to transmit passenger identity and booking information to border authorities before departure, strengthening security while helping streamline immigration procedures.

Another area of progress has been the expansion of financial settlement infrastructure that underpins airline operations. New Billing and Settlement Plan operations have been introduced in Sierra Leone and South Sudan, while the Cargo Account Settlement System CASS has been expanded to Ghana and Ivory Coast. These systems centralise billing and payments between airlines, cargo operators and travel agents, helping reduce disputes and improve cash flow across the aviation value chain.

Payment challenges have long been a constraint for airlines operating in several African markets, particularly where travel agents have limited access to efficient digital payment tools. To address this, IATA has introduced its Easy Pay platform in a number of countries including Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Congo, Mauritius and Sierra Leone. The system allows agents to settle airline transactions more efficiently, reducing delays and easing cash flow pressures for carriers.

Beyond operational improvements, industry leaders are expected to focus on expanding intra-African connectivity, which remains one of the continent’s most persistent aviation challenges. Travellers flying between African cities frequently face indirect routings through hubs in Europe or the Middle East due to limited direct links.

One of the major policy initiatives designed to address this issue is the Single African Air Transport Market, which seeks to liberalise air services across the continent by removing restrictive bilateral agreements between countries. Although progress has been uneven, aviation leaders increasingly view the initiative as essential to unlocking Africa’s aviation potential and strengthening regional trade and tourism.

The Addis Ababa conference will bring together a broad cross-section of airline executives, regulators and aviation policymakers from across the continent. Among those expected to speak are Mesfin Tasew, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines; de Villiers Engelbrecht, Chief Executive Officer of Airlink; George Kamal, Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways; Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission; Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association; and Aaron Munetsi, Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa.

Discussions will focus on strengthening aviation safety oversight, improving connectivity between African cities and advancing digital innovations that can improve operational efficiency across the industry.

The outcome of these conversations could prove significant for the future of African aviation. Despite steady demand growth and a young, mobile population, the continent still accounts for only a small share of global air traffic. Industry leaders argue that stronger regulatory coordination, improved safety performance and more efficient operational systems will be essential if Africa is to realise aviation’s full economic potential.