AFRICAN AVIATION President & CEO Underscores Need for Continental Cooperation

ENA,February 5/2020 AFRICAN AVIATION President and CEO Nick Fadugba FRAeS stressed the need for cooperation in the African aviation industry, which is lacking collaboration.

African aviation training conference and exhibition in which international and African MRO suppliers are taking part kicked off in Addis Ababa today.

During the occasion, AFRICAN AVIATION President and CEO Nick Fadugba FRAeS said cooperation of airlines and MRO is low in Africa, mainly due to insufficient trust.

African aviations and MRO have to collaborate, he noted, adding that "I truly believe that Africa cannot move forward without cooperation, partnerships, and joint ventures. I am talking about sincere cooperations, collaborations, and joint ventures."

African aviation has been serving the continent for 30 years to "promote aviation development throughout Africa," he pointed out, adding that "other people like Ethiopian Airlines had of course the idea before us."

He stated that "air transport has the key to unlock the economic and social potentials of this great continent."

Ethiopian Airlines is an inspiration for africa and its commitment to connect and collaborate in the continent is commendable that requires credit from all Africans, FRAeS stated.

Ethiopian Airlines CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam said on his part "collaboration is very important in 21th century. Collaboration in today's globalized, highly connected and globally small village is very important."

Tewolde stressed that collaboration "is the area that we are lagging behind and we need to improve. Ethiopian Airlines has been doing its share to contribute whatever it comes to the continent in terms of collaboration."

Consolidation, collaboration, partnerships and joint ventures are the areas that need to be improved, he underscored.

According to the CEO, Ethiopian Airlines provides maintenance support for Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Chad, DRC, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Togo airlines.

Ethiopian Airlines has invested around 300 million USD in maintenance hangars, engine shops, component shops and capacity development, especially in the new and modern airplanes. It has also invested over 100 million USD for the aviation training.