Tourism growth and destination connectivity dominated proceedings at the African Air Transport Convention and Expo 2026 in Lomé, Togo, where Policymakers, Industry leaders from Tourism Energy, Aviation and Banking sectors engaged in a high-level panel discussion on Sustainable Air Transport and Climate Resilience.
Addressing delegates, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Hon. Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa, underscored the critical role of affordable, reliable and sustainable air connectivity in driving tourism growth and strengthening Africa’s competitiveness on the global stage.
He advocated for accelerated development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) across the continent, highlighting its potential to reduce dependence on imported fuel, cushion economies from global price fluctuations and support the transition to a low-carbon Tourism future.
Hon. Mnangagwa further noted that Africa’s vast agricultural resources including ethanol, present a unique opportunity to produce cleaner energy locally, unlocking investment, industrialisation, job creation and greater value retention. He called for enhanced Regional Cooperation, stressing that integrated Tourism circuits, shared infrastructure and coordinated fuel supply chains are essential to building a resilient aviation sector and unlocking the full potential of Africa’s Tourism destinations.
The inaugural African Air Transport Convention & Expo 2026 took place from June 15 to 19, 2026, at the Hotel 2 Février in Lomé, Togo.
Hosted by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the 5-day landmark event focused on accelerating the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Key Event Highlights Theme: “Single African Sky: Connectivity and Sustainable Development of Air Transport”.
Key Leadership: The event was opened under the patronage of Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé, with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame acting as the Special Guest of Honour.
The Lomé Declaration: On June 16, 2026, African Ministers adopted the Lomé Declaration and Implementation Matrix, which is designed to remove market access barriers, lower the cost of air transport, and promote seamless intra-African travel and trade.
Core Focus Areas: Discussions spanned SAATM integration, AfCFTA-aligned cargo corridors, sustainable aviation (SAF/LCAF), aviation financing, and infrastructure development.
Staff Writer/ZTA Facebook Page