An important event meeting on airport infrastructure, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and training started in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (September 22).

The Airport Infrastructure and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) Africa conference is, according to the organizers, a unique opportunity to network with industry professionals and major players from the MRO industry and airport infrastructure from all over the world. Ato Tewodros Dawit, CEO of the Ethiopia Airports Enterprise, underlined this when he said in his introductory speech that major events were an essential element to make Ethiopia a major global aviation hub.

Ato Tewolde Gebremariam, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, in a statement read to the meeting, noted that Ethiopian Airlines which had the oldest MRO service in Africa, fully recognized the importance of the major areas of airlines' business: cargo, maintenance and the aviation academy. It was, he said, investing in the MRO business in the continent, using the country's increasingly skilled labor force at a reasonable price and providing the highest possible quality standard.

Professor Mekonnen Hadis, a Chief Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thanked the organizers and said the aviation sector was witnessing an exponential growth by pursuing pragmatic and conducive policies. He expressed the hope that this event would create more synergies. The three day conference is being addressed by a number of renowned aviation industry personalities who will share experience in the industry and especially in airport infrastructure and in maintenance, repair and overhaul. Among those addressing the conference are Kebour Ghenna, the Executive Director of PACCI, Elijah Chingosho, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association, and Sally Osure, Area Manager for East African IATA.