The
International Air Transport Association
has confirmed that its flagship continental gathering will return to the
Ethiopian capital at the end of April, bringing together senior
aviation leaders to chart the next phase of African air transport
development. The 2026 edition of the IATA Focus Africa
Conference is scheduled for 29 and 30 April, with
Ethiopian Airlines once again serving as host for this landmark industry
event.
Organisers have selected the theme
Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity, and Operational
Efficiency in Africa to guide discussions across two days
of intensive programming. This focus reflects the priorities that
industry stakeholders have identified as most critical for unlocking the
continent’s considerable aviation potential in the years
ahead.
Speaking ahead of the conference,
Kamil Alawadhi, who leads IATA’s operations
across Africa and the Middle East, emphasised the transformative role
that aviation can play in driving broader economic and social progress.
He noted that improving safety standards, creating regulatory harmony
across borders, and reducing operational costs remain at the forefront
of the industry agenda. With annual growth demand projected at
three to four percent, the conference aims
to unite continental stakeholders around practical measures that convert
opportunity into lasting achievement.
The gathering
in Addis Ababa will mark a significant moment to assess progress since
Ethiopian Airlines first hosted the inaugural Focus Africa
Conference in 2023. In the intervening period, the
initiative has generated meaningful advances across multiple fronts that
directly benefit African aviation professionals and the passengers they
serve.
Notable accomplishments include the rollout of
API-PNR programmes across twelve African
nations, strengthening border security while facilitating
smoother passenger processing. Safety initiatives have been implemented
throughout the region, while new settlement operations have launched in
Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. These financial
infrastructure improvements enable more efficient transactions between
airlines and their commercial partners.
Perhaps most
significantly for frontline travel professionals, IATA
Easy Pay has been introduced in Cameroon, Chad, Gabon,
Congo, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone. This payment solution addresses
longstanding challenges in markets where limited options previously
constrained business development and created cash flow difficulties for
carriers and sellers alike.
The conference programme
promises an exceptional lineup of speakers representing the full
spectrum of African aviation leadership. Dr. Alemu Sime
Feyisa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics,
will participate alongside Mesfin Tasew,
Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines. Fellow airline
leaders including de Villiers Engelbrecht
of Airlink and Captain George Kamal of
Kenya Airways will contribute their perspectives on regional challenges
and opportunities.
Continental aviation bodies will be
well represented, with Adefunke Adeyemi of
the African Civil Aviation Commission and Abderahmane
Berthe of the African Airlines Association among
confirmed participants. Aaron Munetsi from
the Airlines Association of Southern Africa and Mohammed
Mazi of Saudi Ground Services complete a distinguished
roster of industry voices.
Attendees can expect
keynote addresses, panel discussions, and technical presentations
examining safety enhancement through
strengthened standards and oversight mechanisms. Sessions will explore
strategies for boosting intra-African
connectivity, including regulatory harmonisation efforts
and progress toward the Single African Air Transport Market. Operational
efficiency will receive substantial attention, with focus on process
streamlining, digital innovation adoption, and cost reduction across the
aviation value chain.
For African travel trade
professionals, this conference represents an essential opportunity to
understand the strategic direction of continental
aviation and identify emerging possibilities for business
development. The decisions and commitments that emerge from Addis Ababa
will shape the operating environment for years to come, influencing
everything from route availability to ticketing processes and payment
solutions.
