By Samuel Mbote
Published March 19, 2023
African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at providing mutual support to the sustainable development of the airline industry.
The MoU was signed by Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA’s Secretary-General and Liz Aluvanze, KAAO’s Chief Executive Officer at Aero Club of East Africa in Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
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AFRAA and KAAO will work closely on the following areas of action for the mutual benefit of their membership and industry:
- Engagement of local authorities and stakeholders on air transport matters;
- Joint advocacy efforts on issues challenging the airline industry such as: taxes and charges, aviation policy, market restrictions, infrastructure and capacity building;
- Implementation of the roadmap of the African Air Transport Sustainability Steering Committee (ATSSC);
- Data and intelligence;
- Training:Subsidized training courses through AFRAA’s ATO partnership framework;
- Initiatives on People with Disabilities;
- Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and events.
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“There are some country-specificopportunities and challenges of the airline industry in Africa that vary from country to country. AFRAA is excited to forge a close working relationship with KAAO as this will enhance the level of support by AFRAA to the airline industry in Kenya. This approach is a building block to AFRAA’s mission fora sustainable, interconnected and affordable air transport industry in Africa where African airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development,” Abdérahmane Berthé stated.
“As part of KAAOs strategy, we are aiming at developing strong partnerships for advocacy and mutual benefit and this is the first step. We are keen to leverage learnings from AFRAA as they have a pan-African view of the opportunities and challenges faced by the air transport industry in Africa of which Kenya’s robust and dynamic aviation sector forms a significant part of this eco-system” KAAO Chairman Mbuvi Ngunze said.
AFRAA is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa where African Airlines become key players and drivers to African economic development.
AFRAA membership of 48 airlines cuts across Africa and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent about 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.
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KAAO was formed in 1965 with the mission of promoting and enhancing a safe, efficient and sustainable national aviation industry by encouraging an adherence to a high level of civil aviation safety and practices. The organization prides itself on being the unified voice of advocacy for the aviation industry in Kenya.
KAAO brings together some 50 commercial and private air operators, approved training organisations (ATOs), approved maintenance organisations (AMOs), hot air balloon operators, remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operators and many other aviation-related businesses, associations and industry experts under one umbrella.
