The first Aerospace Africa Forum under the theme Sustainable Mobility was held in Casablanca, Morocco last week to discuss challenges facing the industry including recovery of air transport in a post covid world.
As part of the CEOs round tables, Abdelhamid Addou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, Yvonne Makolo, CEO of Rwandair and Chairwoman of the IATA Board of Governors, and Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, discussed the post-crisis economic outlook for air transport (Which post crisis air transport?).
Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines, Sabine Klauke, CTO of Airbus, and Mike Sinnett, VP & GM of Product Development of Boeing, took part in the manufacturers’ debate to discuss future technological advances and prospects of carbon-free aircraft (When will there be a carbon-free aircraft?).
Other debates covered sensitive topics, such as the weaponization of space and the African issues of aviation safety, with the participation of Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space and Poppy Khoza, CEO of the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority.
The forum also focused on providing technical training programs to acquaint young people in African countries with potential careers in the aeronautics industry.
H.E Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade in the Kingdom of Morocco, took part in the first edition of the Aerospace African Forum, alongside Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean.
The Aerospace African Forum, discussed global issues on a confluent territory, (Morocco) in the heart of a continent with a promising future, (Africa), providing a valuable access to major decision-makers from all aerospace-related sectors. It also provided an opportunity to meet in one day, without any intermediary, all the African decision-makers and main buyers concerned by mobility. Casablanca 2023 as a pivotal city at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, is already the reference event to discuss ideas and share experiences to build the African aeronautics, civil and military space market of tomorrow.