The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that its premier continental event, the IATA Focus Africa Conference, will return to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on April 29-30, 2026.

Ethiopian Airlines will host the conference, which aims to bring together senior aviation leaders from across Africa to chart the future of the continent’s air transport sector.

The 2026 theme is "Elevating Aviation Safety, Connectivity, and Operational Efficiency in Africa," emphasizing industry priorities for unlocking Africa’s aviation potential.

Kamil Alawadhi, IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, highlighted that aviation is a powerful economic and social catalyst, with annual passenger growth projected at 3–4%.

Since the inaugural 2023 Focus Africa Conference, progress has included the rollout of API-PNR programmes in 12 African nations, boosting border security while streamlining passenger processing.

New settlement operations in Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Ghana, and Ivory Coast have improved financial efficiency for airlines and partners.

For frontline professionals, IATA Easy Pay has been launched in Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Congo, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone, addressing previous payment and cash flow challenges in these markets.

Key speakers include Dr. Alemu Sime Feyisa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, de Villiers Engelbrecht of Airlink, and Captain George Kamal of Kenya Airways.

Continental aviation bodies are represented by African Civil Aviation Commission and African Airlines Association officials, alongside leaders from the Airlines Association of Southern Africa and Saudi Ground Services.

The program features keynote addresses, panel discussions, and technical presentations on enhancing safety standards, boosting intra-African connectivity, and implementing operational efficiencies.

Topics include regulatory harmonization, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), digital innovations, and cost-reduction strategies across the aviation value chain.

The conference offers African travel trade professionals an opportunity to understand strategic industry directions, discover emerging business prospects, and influence the continent’s aviation operating environment.