African airlines need to become more active in the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) regional safety and flight operations groups (which are action oriented), IATA regional VP Africa and the Middle East Kamil Alawadhi has urged. IATA is the global representative body for the airline industry and he was addressing the fifty-fifth annual general meeting of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), in Entebbe, Uganda. He described the current participation by African carriers in these groups as “weak”. He highlighted that it was necessary for African airlines to be more strongly involved, in order to drive an agenda that better suited them. “I urge AFRAA/IATA members to be part of the forums that discuss and debate to drive our activities under the governance of the highest levels at IATA.”