KENYA – The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has announced a strategic partnership with the leading aviation service provider ACC Aviation Group for the provision of services that will support the development of Africa’s aviation industry.
The strategic partnership forms the basis for AFRAA’s membership services initiative, “AFRAA Consulting – Powered by ACC”, with the global aviation company to lend their expertise across a range of aviation services, including strategic consultancy and asset management, aircraft charter and (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) ACMI leasing.
“The air transport industry is a key component of Africa’s economic development and this joint initiative is an important step in promoting African airlines on the global stage. AFRAA Consulting – Powered by ACC will provide our members with access to market-leading strategic services and training, giving them the means to improve organisational resilience and respond even more effectively to global market opportunities,” said AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthé, adding that the Association is excited with the partnership.
He added that working together with ACC, AFRAA will maximise its efforts to realise a sustainable, interconnected and affordable air transport industry in Africa and unlock the potential of Africa’s aviation industry.
With operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and Asia, ACC provides bespoke aviation solutions to clients across the globe, with its success built on the strength and depth of its relationships within the aviation industry and through continued investment in developing and maintaining partnerships with a focus on innovation to deliver superior solutions to its diverse and growing client base around the World.
Its African office is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while its Middle Eastern office is based in Dubai, UAE.
“We are extremely proud to be entering into this partnership with AFRAA, which represents a fantastic milestone for ACC, both on an organisational level and in terms of the work we have been doing within the African region. This joint initiative provides a platform to help raise the profile of African airlines globally and effectively maximise their fleet utilisation, something that ACC has already seen great successes from, through our relationships with a number of key African carriers,” commented ACC’s Regional VP – Africa, Daniel Huggins.
He added that under the initiative, participating AFRAA members can take advantage of a range of consultancy services aimed at helping them respond to changes in the market, which are increasingly important as businesses begin looking past the Covid-19 pandemic and as they start planning for the future.
AFRAA, a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU), has a membership of 45 airlines across Africa that includes all the major intercontinental African operators and represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.
During a recent webinar to tackle the Covid-19 impact on the continent, AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthéreiterated that for African economies to recover, a vibrant aviation industry is be critical given the sector’s significant role in economic and social development.
African airlines were advised during the webinar to focus on fleet and network repositioning, finance and cash flow issues, fuel trends and fuel efficiency measures as some of the critical areas as they seek a recovery plan after the pandemic.
AFRAA estimates in a recent study that the aviation sector in Africa will be set back by about US$ 8.1 billion in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
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