African Airlines Summit to trigger debate on female pilots

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The 55th African Airlines Association – AFRAA general assembly due November 19 to 21, 2023, will focus on attracting more women to the flight industry.

Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, says across the aviation industry, men currently dominate the cockpit – citing Uganda’s case scenario which she says has only six women pilots.

While addressing journalists at Four Points Hotel in Kampala on Friday, Bamuturaki said Uganda Airlines will cause a debate at the forthcoming general assembly of the African Airlines trade association to help the country attract more female aviators.

The summit will be held at Commonwealth Speke Resort in Entebbe under the theme, “Strides to Transform Aviation for Development.”

The Aviation General Assembly which will be the first of its kind in Uganda is poised to be a game-changer for the country and promote the tourism industry.

Other discussions at the summit will include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a hot topic across the refining and aerospace industries. Bamuturaki explained that by 2030, all airlines flying into Europe will be required to have SAF-empowered engines, an expensive venture that Uganda must prepare for.

SAF is a liquid fuel currently used in commercial aviation which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. It can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste, and non-food crops.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), an agency that represents and serves airlines with advocacy and global standards for safety, security, and efficiency, SAF could contribute around 65% of the reduction in emissions needed by aviation to reach net zero in 2050.

At least 409 distinguished global delegates including aviation spare part manufacturers, technology giants, and finance companies among others have already confirmed attendance.

Binen Betty, the Acting and Business Development Officer at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre – UWEC Entebbe says the assembly will provide an opportunity for the country to market its tourism potential to the visitors.

AFRAA was founded in Accra, Ghana, in 1968 as a leading trade association of airlines that hail from the nations of the African Union – AU. It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. The primary purpose of AFRAA is to establish and facilitate cooperation between African airlines.

The Association has 50 airlines comprising all the major intercontinental African operators and the Association’s members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by all African airlines.

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