The event witnesses the participation of Minister of Aviation Abbas Helmi, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority Amr El-Sharqawi, Yehia Zakaria, Board Chairman of EgyptAir Holding Company, representatives of civil aviation sector from various countries as well as regional and international organizations.

It also witnesses the participation of representatives of a galaxy of airlines and aviation experts, including about 600 senior airline, aviation and regulatory officials from all over Africa, as well as senior representatives of MRO Organizations, supply companies, aircraft manufacturers and international companies involved in aircraft and engine leasing, aviation finance, aviation insurance and airline support services, in addition to representatives of local and international media interested in covering the event.

The exhibition brings together under one roof major companies working in the field of aircraft maintenance and overhaul in Africa and the Middle East, in addition to aircraft manufacturers, engines and parts, spare parts suppliers and aviation technology companies from around the world. This is a promising marketing opportunity for various aircraft maintenance activities and the provision of various technical and training services.

The conference sessions offer multi-topic discussion panels with the participation of the most prominent aviation experts in the region, aiming to exchange experiences and present innovative solutions to problems facing the aviation sector in general and aircraft maintenance and training in particular.

Activities

06/02/2023

Lieutenant General Mohamed Abbas Helmy, Minister of Civil Aviation of Egypt, inaugurated the 31st edition of MRO Africa 2023 and the 10th African Aviation Training Conference and Exhibition, held in Cairo on 5-7 February 2023.

The official opening was attended by Captain Amr El Sharkawy, Chairman of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, Eng. Yehia Zakaria, Chairman & CEO of EGYPTAIR Holding, Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation Services, Mr. Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Mrs. Margareth Kyarwenda, Secretary General, African Training Organizations (AATO) Captain Elias Sadek, Minister Advisor for Air Transport , Eng. Walid El-Khafif, Chairman & CEO of EGYPTAIR MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING And the pilot, Walid Soliman, President of EGYPTAIR TRAINING ACADEMY, senior officials of the civil aviation sector, representatives of aircraft, engines and parts manufactures, representatives of African airlines, suppliers of aircraft spare parts, and providers of training activities along with other aviation services.

In his speech, Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Abbas Helmy said Egypt is always keen on building bridges of communication with African brethren and all friendly nation all over the world, for a growing and improving civil aviation sector in Africa and beyond.

Abbas added his ministry had managed to face up to the challenges affecting the global civil aviation industry, thanks to the political leadership's support.

He pointed out that as part of the State's comprehensive development strategy, the ministry carried on with its improvement projects without laying off any of its employees.

He noted that five new airports have been established; while other airports have seen their infrastructure upgraded to improve the quality of passenger services and enhance aviation safety and security, following the latest relevant international standards.

He asserted that in line with the State's environmental conservation strategy, the ministry has been working on making its airports environmentally friendly, while increasing efficiency of aviation systems.

He added that a national airspace center had also been established to facilitate the growing air traffic at Egyptian airports.

For his part, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Secretary-General Abdérahmane Berthé thanked Egypt for hosting the conference and exhibition event, expressing hopes that it will lead to the adoption of unified African visions and frameworks that help in optimizing human resources of Africa's civil aviation sector.

Meanwhile, speakers in the opening ceremony focused in their remarks on the challenges that face the aviation industry in Africa, sustainable development, and modern strategies to develop a roadmap toward the future of aviation in the continent. They also agreed that aircraft maintenance and training are pillars for the aspired development of the aviation sector that require further focus and attention in order to get the desired outcome. The conference sessions tackle many issues of interest for MROs and training organizations that aim at concluding better solutions for many obstacles.

Following the official opening of the conference, the Minister of Civil Aviation took part in inaugurating the activities of the exhibition and toured the pavilion of participating companies.

On top of his tour, the Minister of Civil Aviation visited EGYPTAIR booth where he witnessed the signing ceremony of an agreement between EGYPTAIR MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING and Petra Aerospace.

During bilateral meetings at the expo, EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Co. signed four cooperation agreements with Saudi, Jordanian, Serbian, and US companies.