The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will host the 2026 Focus Africa Conference on April 29-30 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity, and Operational Efficiency in Africa.” Ethiopian Airlines serves as host, convening over 300 aviation leaders, policymakers, airline executives, regulators, and experts.
Key discussions target strengthening safety oversight, aligning with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), where Africa’s 59.49% implementation rate trails the global 69.16% average. Priorities include runway safety improvements following 2024 excursions and timely accident reporting per ICAO Annex 13, with only eight final reports from 42 African accidents between 2018-2023. IATA tools like IOSA and ISSA will feature prominently.
Intra-African connectivity gains focus through expanded routes and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), launched in 2018 to liberalize services. Operational efficiency addresses high taxes, blocked funds, and digital innovations like IATA Easy Pay rollout in Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Congo, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone.
Progress since the 2023 inaugural event includes API-PNR programs in 12 countries, BSP in Sierra Leone and South Sudan, and CASS in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Speakers include IATA Regional Vice President Kamil Alawadhi, AFRAA Secretary General Abderahmane Berthe, AASA CEO Aaron Munetsi, and SGS CEO Mohammed Mazi. Sessions cover regulatory harmonization, cost reduction, and 3-4% annual growth support amid fragmented regulations and rising demand.