AFRAA and South African Airways Convene Industry Leaders at ASC

The 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention (ASC) was officially inaugurated this morning in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme "Resilient African Aviation: Partnerships – Empowerment – Profitability." 

Jointly hosted by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and South African Airways (SAA), the three-day Convention brings together senior aviation decision-makers from across the globe to forge the partnerships and strategies necessary to unlock Africa's aviation potential.

The Convention was officially opened by the Guest of Honour, Ms. Barbara Creecy, MP, Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa, who underscored the Government's commitment to positioning South Africa and the broader continent as a leading force in global aviation.

The opening ceremony was attended by an assembly of over 500 registered delegates comprising of airlines, regulators, airport authorities, financiers and aviation solution providers from close to 50 countries across Africa and beyond.

In his welcome address, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, Secretary General of AFRAA, set a candid and strategic tone, acknowledging that African aviation continues to operate in a highly complex and uncertain global environment, with geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, currency pressures, rising operating costs, infrastructure gaps, and aircraft availability constraints placing unprecedented pressure on carriers.

He reminded delegates that the continent’s fragmentation across 54 states, multiple regulatory frameworks, and hundreds of restrictive bilateral air services agreements makes collaboration among stakeholders not optional, but existential.

He called on governments to treat aviation as an economic multiplier rather than a tax base, and urged the industry to prioritise the development and retention of African aviation professionals – pilots, engineers, safety managers and commercial managers – warning that a resilient African aviation industry cannot be built on talent trained only to be lost to other regions.

"The question is no longer whether Africa will grow, but whether African aviation will be sufficiently prepared and positioned to capture that growth sustainably and remain competitive. Survival is not the ambition. The ambition is to build an African aviation industry that connects this continent affordably and safely."  Mr. Berthé, Secretary stated.

Mr. Matshela Seshibe, Acting CEO of South African Airways and host of this year's Convention, welcomed delegates to Johannesburg – Africa's leading aviation, financial and industrial hub – and emphasised the importance of continental unity in the current operating environment, noting that “collaboration is no longer optional for African aviation, it is essential for survival, sustainability and long-term competitiveness.”

Captain George Kamal, Acting Group CEO of Kenya Airways and Chairman of the AFRAA Executive Committee, and Mr. Kamil Al-Awadhi, Regional Vice President for Africa and Middle East at IATA, also addressed the gathering, each calling for accelerated liberalization, infrastructure investment and cross-industry collaboration to narrow the gap between Africa's aviation demand and its realized connectivity.