- The Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Christian Folly-Kossi, disclosed that safety and security have remained the major threats to the African aviation industry.
With a membership of more than 40, AFRAA, a registered trade union, was formally established in the Ghanaian capital Accra in 1968.
Mr Folly-Kossi told a two-day meeting of African transport ministers and aviation experts in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa that the Kenyan Airways plane crash is enough proof that there is need for the continent to prioritise aviation safety.
The crashed airline whose 114 people on board had all died was among the new fleet bought by the Kenyan Airways. It has been operational for only six months. Aviation experts are still trying to find out the cause of the crash.
But AFRAA Secretary General advised African avian industries to seriously consider upgrading the safety, security, search and rescue capabilities. AFRAA scribe appealed for routine conduction of mock rescue exercises as a way of assessing the aviation industries’ preparedness to respond to disasters.
Brain drain, globalization, poor financial resources, among other challenges continue to rock the aviation industry in Africa, he said.
“Brain drain is seriously depleting our industry of its most experienced and qualified human resources,” he said, blaming airlines from the Gulf and Asia for poaching pilots, cabin crew, management staff and air traffic controllers from Africa. “At this stage, only your vigorous governmental, political and diplomatic interventions that can help stem the haemorrhage.”
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español