Fatima Beyina-Moussa, Managing Director of ECAir, Equatorial Congo Airlines, (www.flyecair.com), the national airline of the Republic of Congo, presided over the workshops of the 47th general meeting of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). The event, held under the eminent patronage of His Excellency Mr. Denis Sassou N’Guesso, Presidentof the Republic of Congo, took place from 8 to 10 November 2015, at the Concorde Sports Centrein Kintélé, with the theme 'Open Skies: Growth through Competition and Collaboration'.

In total, 35 airlines took part in the meeting. Over 300 participants exchanged on strategies to promote the implementation of the decision of Yamoussoukro, which sanctions free access for air transporters to intra-African connections. Though adopted by 44 states in November 1999, only 11 African countries are really committed to effectively implement it to date.

From the opening of the discussions, the managers of the airlines members of AFRAA received the support of Congolese President Denis Sassou N’Guesso: "One of the biggest merits of your association is having understood that in unity, there is strength and that in your sector, salvation is in necessary solidarity, in the essential cooperation and unavoidable synergy. Your association has ambitions and goals which are in perfect harmony with the African Union", the Congolese head of state declared.

Fatima Beyina-Moussa, who heads AFRAA this year, indicated: "At ECAir, we have decided to negotiate with our colleagues and have managed to inter-company agreements wit TAC, Asky, Ethiopian, South African Airways Air Algérie and the operation of the Brazzaville-Beirut route in partnership with Trans Air Congo. Moreover, I am very pleased to inform you that Kenya Airways and ECAir have decided to form a close partnership in the near future. I take this opportunity to thank my colleague Mr. Mbuvi Ngunze, Managing Director of Kenya Airways."

Edmund Makona, Managing Director of Air Zimbabwe succeeds Fatima Beyina-Moussa at the head of AFRAA. Air Zimbabwe will organise the 48th general meeting of AFRAA from 20 to 22 November 2016 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.