Taking place over two days at this year’s Routes Africa, and open to all attending delegates, the Routes Africa Strategy Summit promises to be an invaluable and hard hitting look at the African aviation market. Leading experts from across Africa and even further a field will discuss a range of topics and will also include keynote addresses and dedicated presentations.

The Strategy Summit will open Routes Africa on Sunday and will begin with opening remarks from Dr W. Rama Makuza, Managing Director of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This is followed by Keynote Addresses by the Honourable Maria Mutagamba, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda and Dr Titus Naikuni, CEO of Kenya Airways.

The opening session focuses on Public, Private Partnerships for Airport Management and Development, discussing the solution to airport infrastructure in Africa and the pros and cons to this approach. This panel includes; Joachim von Winning, Chief Commercial Officer of Cairo Airport, Dr. Waleed Youssef, Middle East Director for TAV Airports Holding, Madame Ramatou Magagi, Senior Investment Officer for Infrastructure Advisory Services, IFC and Robinson Misitala, Managing Director of National Airports Zambia.

The opening session will be followed by a Destination Briefing delivered by Michael Mabuyakhulu MPP, KwaZulu-Natal MEC, Economic Development & Tourism.

After a short afternoon break the Routes Africa Strategy Summit will resume and will begin with Ali Tounsi, Secretary General of ACI Africa delivering a Keynote Presentation.

The second session will then focus on New Carriers for Africa and the Rise of Low Cost Carriers. This will discuss whether incumbents can compete with new carriers and which will survive? Along with the role of strong home based (national) Airlines. This session will be led and moderated by Kostas Iatrou, Managing Director of Air Transport News and joining him will be; Richard Bodin, Chief Commercial Officer of Fastjet, Inati Ntshanga, CEO of SA Express Airways, Abderahmane Berthe, CEO of Air Mali and Sergio Rosa, CEO of Air Burkina.

Day one of the Strategy Summit will conclude with a presentation by ATR, the summits sponsor and a few closing remarks from Nigel Mayes, VP Commercial and Routes.

The second part of the summit programme opens the second day of Routes Africa and begins with a presentation by Marc Gordien, the Vice President of Consulting for Airports Service Marketing (ASM).

The third and penultimate session discusses Driving Tourism in Africa and where the next marketing opportunities lie. The barriers to growth and the importance of a whole package (tourism, destination, routes and airports) will also be considered. The panel will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome, Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands Correspondent for eTurboNews, and will also consist of Cuthbert Baguma, CEO of Tourism Uganda and Doreen Owusu-Fianko, Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company this session promises to deliver a wide range of views from a variety of senior aviation and tourism professionals.

Following a short break Eric Herbane Managing Director at COHOR will deliver a presentation based on Operating in Europe: Traffic rights and Airport Slots.

The final session of the Routes Africa Strategy Summit focuses on the Outlook for the Future and will examine where next for the African aviation market. The panel includes Vees Lochan, Chief Operating Officer for Airlines Association of Southern Africa, George Uriesi, Managing Director of Federal Airports of Nigeria and Michael Higgins, RVP for Africa, IATA

This specially designed content and interactive format ensures that the Strategy Summit is one of the most popular and well attended elements of the event. For the full Summit programme click here.