Aviation services, safety and security as well as connectivity in Africa can be better enhanced if regional groups and aviation institutions such as African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and African Airlines Association (AFRAA) work together towards achieving these objectives. This was the submission of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), His Excellency Dr. Jean Ping. The Chairperson, who spoke through the Commissioner for Infrastructure & Energy, African Union, Dr. Elham Ibrahim, at the 14th Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference held in August in Johannesburg, South Africa, calls for joint efforts by the various air transport stakeholders towards the sector’s growth. He states that the AU was determined to play more robust roles in the implementation of conference resolutions in order to address the challenges confronting the industry in Africa. He further reveals that in addition to achieving the non-binding guidelines for negotiation with the European Union, through the meeting of Ministers of transport in Algiers early 2008, the AU also “is giving high priority to this sector.”

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