AFRAA LAUNCHES THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) launched a three year Business Plan aimed at realigning the Association’s activities to the business imperatives of member airlines. The plan, which will see AFRAA embarking on value added projects aimed at reducing costs and facilitating airlines cooperation was approved at the just concluded Executive Committee (EXC) meeting of the Association in Nairobi, Kenya. After extensive consultation with member airlines and the Executive Committee, and guided by the Chairman, Eng. Hussein Massoud of Egyptair, the Secretary General put together the Business Plan with the aim to “transform AFRAA into a pulsating Airline Association for the African continent.”

Explaining the thrust of the business plan, Dr. Chingosho said, “AFRAA needs to enhance its
relevance to its members so as to deliver the leadership that the African Airlines expect it to
provide.” The strategy for realigning AFRAA to members’ needs is, in the words of the
Secretary General “for AFRAA to be recognized worldwide as an Association devoted to defend
and promote the common interest of African airlines and be a vehicle for facilitating their
development.”

Among others, the new business plan is proposing a new vision and strategic direction for
AFRAA including key performance indicators (KPIs) to enable the Association achieve critical
goals within set timelines. One major change in the plan is the introduction of Task Teams and
Steering Committees to replace current Standing Committees. In the view of Dr, Chingosho,
Task Teams are project specific and time bound, “ensuring that quantifiable deliverables are
achieved.”

The Executive Committee also set an agenda for a planned meeting with the Director General
and CEO of IATA during the June 2011 IATA AGM in Singapore, and mandated the Secretary
General to work with IATA in preparing for the meeting. On the AFRAA 43rd AGA, the Executive Committee reaffirmed Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco as the venue from 20 – 22 November 2011.

As part of rebranding of AFRAA and improving communication, the website is being
redeveloped to make it more user friendly, improve the aesthetics and incorporate modern web
technology features. AFRAA is also redeveloping a new logo which will be launched later in the
year. The Committee endorsed the Secretary General’s proposal to outsource the publication and
distribution of the renowned AFRAA quarterly magazine, Africa Wings, in order to maintain and
enhance the quality and depth of analysis the magazine has been known for.

At the conclusion of the one day Executive Committee meeting which was held at the Panari
Hotel in Nairobi, the Chairman of the meeting and CEO of Air Mali, Mr. Abderahmane Berthé
on behalf of the Executives pledged their support to the Secretary General and his team in the
implementation of the new plan and in their request to transform AFRAA into a value-adding
continental professional organization..