Introduction. East Africa’s aviation sector faces mounting turbulence as geopolitics and protectionism undermine growth despite open skies initiatives. RwandAir Ltd has been forced to suspend key routes due to DR Congo’s airspace ban, while Uganda Airlines remains blocked from flying to Kigali amid strained bilateral ties. Kenya Airways (KQ) suffers

Introduction. Khartoum International Airport is set to reopen in October 2025, following its closure since the April 2023 conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which devastated infrastructure and halted commercial operations. Renovations and repairs, including runways, taxiways, power networks, and terminals, are nearing 85% completion, enabling

Introduction. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its 2024 World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) report on August 4, 2025, revealing key trends shaping global aviation. Passenger traffic grew by 9.4% year-on-year, slightly trailing the global average growth of 11.5%, while the load factor improved by 0.7 percentage points to

Introduction. International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged African governments to prioritize aviation as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and regional connectivity, highlighting its $75 billion contribution to the continent’s GDP and support for over 8.1 million jobs. With the sector projected to grow 4.1% annually and double

Introduction. On Thursday, July 25, 2025, Senegal officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 56th nation to commit to peaceful, transparent, and cooperative space exploration. The signing ceremony was hosted at NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration headquarters in Washington, following a recent meeting between Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye

Introduction. Namibia Civil Aviation Authority, in partnership with the European Union and EASA – European Union Aviation Safety Agency, launched a three-day aviation workshop in Windhoek from July 16 to July 18, 2025, to advance climate action in the sector. The focus is on key initiatives such as CORSIA, Sustainable

Introduction. ACI World – Airports Council International has voiced strong opposition to a proposed international tax on premium air passengers, backed by countries including France, Kenya, and Barbados ahead of COP30. ACI argues the levy would undermine aviation’s role in global connectivity, particularly harming regions in the Global South that

Introduction. From June 25–27, 2025, the African Union and African Civil Aviation Commission AFCAC held the inaugural meeting of the SAATM Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) Administrative Council in Dakar, Senegal marking a major milestone in operationalizing Africa’s air liberalization framework. Though established in 2022, this was the DSM’s first formal

Introduction. Ethiopia officially joined the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD) system on June 25, 2025, becoming its 106th member. The certificate of participation was handed over during a ceremony held in Montreal, Canada, and received by Selamawit Dawit, Director General of Ethiopia’s Immigration and Citizenship Service,