Aviation experts, government officials, and industry stakeholders have called for strengthened resilience in Africa’s civil aviation sector to mitigate future disruptions.

Director of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity, and Infrastructure Development Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Robert Lisinge, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Lisinge said this was the focus of a technical workshop that provided a platform to discuss airline sustainability strategies and lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The workshop was organised under the mandate of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Transport, Transcontinental, and Interregional Infrastructure and Energy.

Mr Lisinge highlighted the vulnerability of Africa’s aviation industry to shocks.

He said, “Africa’s airline industry faced challenges related to connectivity, safety standards, security, profitability, non-sustainable financing, and high operating costs during the pandemic.’’

He emphasised the need to institutionalise the use of science and technology in crisis management, including investment in digital technology, interoperable data systems, and cybersecurity.

Secretary General of the African Airlines Association, Abderahmane Berthe, said that African airlines, unlike their European and Asian counterparts, lacked a pre-existing crisis management framework.

According to Mr Berthe, airlines on the continent did not receive intentional government support during the COVID-19 crisis.

Representing the African Union Commission, Eric Ntagengerwa, urged African governments to provide greater support to the continent’s airlines.

Mr Ntagengerwa also emphasised the AUC’s commitment to expediting the adoption of a resilience-building framework for the aviation sector.

Specialists from civil aviation authorities, public and private airline companies, and specialised agencies called for enhanced collaboration and solidarity among airlines and government institutions.

They stressed the urgency of developing and implementing a comprehensive framework to strengthen Africa’s civil aviation industry against future disruptions.

The workshop marked a key step toward ensuring a more sustainable and crisis-resilient aviation sector across the continent.