Links between Africa and the Middle East are being reinforced through the location of the 2018 Aviation Africa event, which will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel City Stars in Cairo, April 17-18.

Hosted by EgyptAir and under the auspices of the Minister of Civil Aviation, HE Sherif Fathy, the event includes a two-day top-level summit, an exhibition featuring 70 exhibitors, and a meet-the-buyer programme.

The conference programme is being driven by an advisory board made up of no fewer than 10 airline chief executives as well as representatives of key sectors such as MRO, cargo operations, airports, safety and business aviation.

Former EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering chairman Hisham Nasser, who is now recognised as a leading advisor on MRO will be one of the speakers addressing how the maintenance industry must change.

Speakers will be coming from across Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Chris Zweigenthal, chief executive of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa will be leading airlines from the south of the continent.

Speakers from the main associations, from the African Development Bank, major manufacturers and the innovators of the latest technology developments will also be addressing the conference.

The Summit will be looking into the region’s infrastructure to understand what is needed and how it can be funded

According to Mark Brown, managing director of Times Aerospace who are the main organiser of the event, the exhibition is already 60% sold with nearly six months to go.

The Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel City Stars, close to Cairo’s international airport on April 17-18 2018.

Further details on exhibition space, sponsorship and programme can be found at www.aviationafrica.aero