African Union members join AfBAA Symposium for first time

As the momentum builds for this year's African Business Aviation Association's (AfBAA) annual symposium to be held in Addis Ababa, at the Sheraton Addis, 24 to 25 September, the organisers are pleased to announce the attendance of African Union representatives for the first time. The African Union's commissioner for infrastructure and energy, H.E. Dr Elham Ibrahim (Mrs.) will be in attendance presenting her thoughts, ambitions and concerns relating to aviation when she gives the key note speech on the opening day of the event. With her department responsible for transportation, and hence aviation, she will bring a continent-wide view to the audience.

The AU delegation will be joining an elite selection of speakers who, guided by chairman Alan Peaford, editor-in-chief of African Aerospace, will debate a varied set of topics building on the four pillars philosophy presented by chairman and founder Tarek Ragheb at the 2014 symposium. In addition delegates will have the opportunity to debate a number of fascinating new topics appearing on the agenda for the first time. Reflecting the changing business aviation landscape in Africa, topics including the challenges of medical evacuations, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for commercial purposes, tracking technologies and the fluctuations in oil prices affecting the industry will all be covered. In addition a number of industry leaders will be making their AfBAA symposium speaking debuts as delegates from as far afield as New Zealand and Canada participate.

Upholding its mission to encourage training within the aviation field AfBAA is supporting a complimentary half day training session that will explore safety management system creation and implementation. Michael Grüninger managing director of aviation consultancy Great Circle Services, and Mike Litson from the aviation safety company Litson and Associates, both of whom have had extensive experience working in Africa, will lead the workshop. The session will enable delegates to learn how to instigate an SMS implementation and those participating will receive a certificate of attendance.

“We are very excited about this year's event,” says Tarek Ragheb, founding chairman of AfBAA. “We are truly honoured to have the presence of the African Union. They recognise business aviation as an important economic driver for the continent and as we stick to our principal of advocating for government education we welcome their presence.”

The event will be held over two days and will include a number of networking opportunities at coffee breaks, lunches and during a gala dinner. Training company CAE has signed as a silver sponsor whilst aviation charter, maintenance and medevac company FAI, security company Trident, maintenance programme provider JSSI, and flight support services Universal Weather and Aviation Inc., are all supporting as sponsors of the event. AfBAA is still welcoming other sponsors to the prestigious event and notes it's a great opportunity to take advantage of this dedicated conference to raise visibility within this influential and important market place. 

“This year's symposium will be the most interesting yet. We have a lot of new faces signing up as delegates from the African, and international aviation sector. The new formats, topics, and styles of presentation promise to make this the best of our events yet,” added Rady Fahmy, executive director of AfBAA.