Boeing supports IATA’s new series of safety workshops in Africa

Inaugural workshop in Nairobi draws 60 safety professionals from 11 African countries to advance safety expertise and collaboration.

August 06, 2026

Sixty aviation safety professionals gather for a Safety Management Systems workshop in Nairobi on July 8-9, 2026. Photo courtesy of IATA. Sixty aviation safety professionals gather for a Safety Management Systems workshop in Nairobi on July 8-9, 2026. Photo courtesy of IATA.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 6, 2026 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] is supporting the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) newly launched series of Safety Training and Capacity-Building Workshops in Africa, bringing its expertise as an aircraft manufacturer to an initiative focused on strengthening aviation safety across the region.

The first workshop in the monthly series was held in Nairobi in July and was organized by IATA in partnership with Boeing, Kenya Airways and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA). The two-day session focused on Safety Management Systems (SMS) and brought together about 60 safety professionals from 11 African countries, including representatives from airlines, civil aviation authorities, ground handling companies and maintenance organizations. Participants shared practical insights on safety policy, safety assurance, leadership, safety culture and other topics.

Harrison Debrah, Boeing global safety and regulatory affairs deputy director for Africa, led three sessions on effective safety risk assessment, safety performance monitoring and management of change.

Harrison Debrah, Boeing global safety and regulatory affairs deputy director for Africa, leads a session at the Safety Management Systems workshop in Nairobi on July 9. Photo courtesy of Harrison Debrah, Boeing. Harrison Debrah, Boeing global safety and regulatory affairs deputy director for Africa, leads a session at the Safety Management Systems workshop in Nairobi on July 9. Photo courtesy of Harrison Debrah, Boeing.

“We are proud to support IATA and other Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) partners in creating a consistent platform that helps our industry collectively refine strategies and build a more resilient and cohesive aviation safety ecosystem across Africa,” said Kayode Ariwodola, Boeing safety director for Africa, Middle East, Türkiye, Central Asia and Europe. “The program started with Safety Management Systems conversations because SMS is a common framework for all safety initiatives, a living system that constantly adapts. When we connect, collaborate and share experiences, that positive safety culture keeps the “heartbeat” of this system strong.”

This initiative is delivered under the IATA Focus Africa Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP).

“Improving safety performance across Africa is a shared priority for the aviation industry and a key pillar of IATA’s Focus Africa initiative. The strength of Focus Africa and CASIP is in its collaborative approach, bringing stakeholders together to share knowledge, resources, and expertise to drive meaningful change. This inaugural SMS workshop marked the first in a series of safety capacity-building engagements. We were pleased to launch the series with Boeing’s support and look forward to building on this initiative with our CASIP partners,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

With the Boeing Commercial Market Outlook projecting a 5.8% annual growth in African air traffic over the next two decades, the program helps the industry align on best practices to support growing connectivity and aims to minimize the occurrence of accidents and incidents.

The collaboration will continue through the end of the year with a sequence of monthly virtual and in-person capacity-building sessions, including a webinar on ground operations risk management in August. Upcoming workshops will address space debris awareness, runway safety and radio frequency interference.

For more details on upcoming workshops, please visit IATA Connect.

About Boeing Africa

A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing has supported Africa’s aviation growth for over seven decades. With nearly 70% market share in Africa, regional carriers rely on Boeing airplanes for connectivity. Boeing has offices in Ethiopia and South Africa and field service representatives stationed with the airlines across the continent. Learn more at https://www.boeing.africa.