African event to highlight need for open market

摘要

Aviation Africa returns to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, in February, as African regulators continue to grapple with air transport liberalization across the continent by adopting the newly devised Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative to open skies. Speakers representing airlines, MRO, governments, and aviation finance are expected to attend the two-day event, which will highlight the need for the world's largest continent to continue to open its aviation market in the face of international competition. "We are particularly thrilled that as well as [Qatar Airways CEO and IATA chairman] Akbar Al Baker, we also have Adriana Marais, who is part of the Mars 1 project, and will be Africa's first extra-terrestrial when she takes her one-way trip to Mars," said Alan Peaford, chairman of Aviation Africa and editor-in-chief of Times Aerospace publications. The South African scientist hopes to participate in a voyage to the Red Planet, which will allow her no possibility of ever returning to Earth.