The International Air Transport Association says the 2026 edition of the Focus Africa Conference will hold in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April the twenty ninth to thirty, hosted by Ethiopian Airlines. The conference, themed “Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity and Operational Efficiency in Africa,” will bring together key industry stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening the continent’s aviation sector.
IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, says aviation can play a greater role in Africa’s economic and social development if safety standards are improved, regulations harmonized, and operational costs reduced to support the industry’s projected annual growth.
Since the inaugural conference hosted by Ethiopian Airlines in 2023, the Focus Africa initiative has supported safety programmes across the region, the rollout of API-PNR systems in twelve countries, and the expansion of settlement operations and payment solutions in several African markets.
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The conference will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions involving aviation leaders including Ethiopia’s Transport Minister Alemu Sime Feyisa, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Airlink de Villiers Engelbrecht and CEO of Kenya Airways George Kamal, focusing on safety improvements, stronger intra-African connectivity and operational efficiency.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
