Rwanda to Host Aviation Africa 2022 Sumit

DALLAS - The 6th Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition—Kigali 2022 will take place in Rwanda from September 12–13. Aviation Africa is a major trade event for the aerospace and defense industries, and this year it is run in association with the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) and RwandAir (WB).

This 6th event is a 2-day summit and exhibition. Speakers will include leaders from African airlines, civil aviation authorities, business aviation & support industries. The co-located exhibition will feature approx. 100 global aviation companies.

With a focus on maintenance, conservation, future technology, and safety, the conference, which will bring together government representatives, aviation figureheads, regulators, legislators, manufacturers, and vendors from around the world, will primarily examine how to drive the aviation industry's revival after COVID-19. 

From September 12–13, Rwanda will also host the first World Airports Infrastructure, Equipment, and Services Exhibition (SMIESA).

At the two-day summit and expo, more than 1,000 major airport and aviation officials will be in attendance. By encouraging the formation of manufacturers (equipment and service providers) and by boosting African airports and associated services, it will work to foster technology transfer in Africa. 

Stakeholders in the aviation industry will talk about strategies to speed up recovery, promote sustainability, and improve customer quality throughout the two events, sharing their expertise and knowledge learned from the past.

Comments from Officials

The RCAA and Rwanda Airports Company (RAC) are co-hosting the events, which are jointly organized by Times Aerospace Events and the Union des Gestionnaires d'Aéroports d'Afrique Centrale et de l'Ouest (UGAACO).

"RwandAir is very delighted to formally sponsor this year's greatly planned Aviation Africa summit 2022 in our home hub of Kigali and we warmly welcome all attendees," said Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir. 

She continued by saying that RwandAir's record for safety and service competence has aided in the growth of Rwanda's aviation industry, and the company wants to support the continued growth of a sector that will be crucial to the continent's economic prosperity in the future.

She added, "RwandAir is dedicated to opening up Africa to the continent's expanding aviation sector, as well as providing more routes and incredibly cheap pricing for all our clients across Africa and beyond.”

Results from the Summit

The summit will equip Rwanda to become a key player in aviation, especially on the African continent, as well as support the growth of seamless collaboration and innovation, according to Silas Udahemuka, Director General of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority.

The event will also have a significant effect on the travel industry, the labor market, the transportation sector, and business in general, according to Charles Habonimana, the managing director of Rwanda Airports Company. He also noted that it is exciting for Rwanda to host the first-ever SMIESA.

“While the pandemic has had a significant impact on all of us”, he continued, "participants will come up with the next rapid results that will help full recovery and prosper." 

Activities at SMIESA and Aviation Africa 2022 will also involve networking and contract negotiations, as well as an exposition of aircraft manufacturers, MRO providers, training facilities, and numerous airport products and services. 

Featured image: RwandAir 9XR-WT (F-WWKQ) Airbus A330-941. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways