The Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference, which plays a pivotal role in setting policy and business agenda among public and private sector aviation experts and technocrats as well as their development partners from allied sectors from within and outside Africa, is set to be held in Gaborone next week. 
 
The Aviation & Allied Business Leadership Conference is an annual event for leaders in the air transport industry and its affiliates. The conference offers opportunity for practitioners to deliberate on issues of policy and socio-economic consequences on the African air transport industry.
 
In a statement released by Capt. Edward Boyo, Publisher of Aviation & Allied Business, the conveners of the Conference, “There is need for a platform such as this one to explore collective strategies to drive forward the industry in Africa.”
 
He continued saying “the economic downturn which affected the industry adversely since 2008 is wearing out though its impact remains in Africa. Security and safety have remained issues that call for collective decision and leadership re-orientation across the industry.”
 
The Conference is expected to examine critically leadership as one of the major drawbacks of the continent. Manifesting in all the spheres of the air transport industry particularly regulation, airports and infrastructure management, airspace management to airlines.
 
In addition the Conference is expected to deliberate on issues of airline management and turnaround strategies, airports enhancement and infrastructure renewal, safety and security as well as emerging policy issues and sustainable capacity building.
 
┬áParticipation at this year’s Conference will be drawn from all sectors of the air transport industry including airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, engine and aircraft manufacturers, financial institutions as well as multilateral organisations and policy makers from Africa, Europe, Middle East and North America.
Commenting further on the choice of Botswana, Boyo noted that, “We are delighted that the Government of Botswana has given the Conference its full support”.
 
He added that “the choice of Botswana was fairly well settled as a result of its strong economic performance over the years, its growing air transport market and infrastructure, which shows a commitment to best international standards. We need to bring to the attention of international investors the huge opportunities in this market”.┬á
 
Participants to the Conference include senior executives of airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, aircraft and engine manufacturers, legal and financial institutions, government and regulatory authorities, amongst others.
 
According to Boyo, “the interest of the industry in this Conference has been amazing thus we look forward to working with our partners to come out with implementable resolutions as we deliver once again a conference that accelerates air transport growth in Africa”.
 
The 16th Leadership Conference is hosted in collaboration with the Government of Botswana and generously sponsored by SITA, ATR, Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana amongst other sponsors.
 
The Conference will commence on August 29 with a tour and will continue on August 30, with the Conference Opening and plenary sessions. The conference will be held at the serene Gaborone Convention Center.
Aviation indaba comes to Botswana
