Seventeen African States attended the Fourth International Conference on Air Services Negotiation organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), in collaboration with the Government of India, in Mumbai, from 17 to 22 October 2011.

The meeting focused on the key issues of connectivity and training. Participants also discussed the opportunities for developing sustainable civil aviation, namely through cooperation between Africa and India. The latter is celebrating 100 years of civil aviation this year.

They agreed that meeting the ICAO’s requirements on international air transport policies and regulations was a prerequisite to achieving greater connectivity.

To ensure that all stakeholders had there say on the options discussed in the field of training, a consultation meeting with African representatives was organised during the second session of the conference of African Ministers of transport held in Luanda, Angola, from 21 to 25 November 2011.

The Mumbai meeting was organised for aviation negotiators to conduct bilateral, multilateral and regional air services negotiations or consultations in a central meeting place. It was hosted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, India. The African Union Commission was represented by Adiron Alberto, Senior Policy Officer for Air Transport.