Addis Ababa, 23 January 2025 – A technical workshop to build the resilience of Africa’s civil aviation industry was held on 23 January 2025. The workshop sought to strengthen the resilience of Africa’s aviation industry to shocks. It provided a platform for dialogue on airline sustainability strategies post-COVID-19; reflecting on strategies and policies initiated during and after the crisis; and highlighting lesson learned from the pandemic. The mandate to organise the workshop was derived from the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union.
In his opening remarks, Robert Lisinge, Director of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Division of ECA, said “Africa’s aviation industry remains vulnerable to shocks and that the continent’s airline industry faced challenges related to connectivity, safety standards, security, profitability, non-sustainable financing, and high operating costs during the pandemic.”
Robert Lisinge further pointed out the need to institutionalise the use of science and technology in pandemic crisis management. This requires prioritisation of digital technology, investment in interoperable data systems and engineering capabilities, and enhancing cybersecurity, among others.
In his address, Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), noted that “African airlines, in contrast to their European and Asian counterparts, did not benefit from a pre-existing crisis management framework, nor from governmental intentional support during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Representing the African Union Commission’s Director for Infrastructure and Energy, Eric Ntagengerwa urged African Governments to support the continent’s airlines and expressed AUC’s desire to expedite the adoption of the framework to build the resilience Africa’s civil aviation industry.
African aviation specialists from Civil Aviation Authorities, specialized agencies, and both public and private airline companies advocated for enhanced collaboration and solidarity among airlines and governmental bodies. They emphasized the necessity for the rapid development and implementation of a comprehensive framework aimed at bolstering the resilience of the African civil aviation industry against further disruptions.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org