Doha – November 10, 2021:  The 54th Annual General Meeting of the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) will be held between 10 and 12 November 2021 at the “Sheraton Resort & Convention Hotel”, under the patronage of H.E Mr. Jassim bin Saif bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Qatar’s Minister of Transport, and by kind invitation of H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways and Chairman of the 54th AGM, with the participation of more than 200 Arab and global aviation experts gathering Chief Executive Officers of AACO member airlines, partner airlines and industry partners from aircraft and engine manufacturers, global distribution systems, information technology partners, and others. The Director General of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization, the Director General for Mobility and Transport/European Commission, and the Director General of IATA are also attending the AGM.

 

The AGM’s general opening ceremony will take place tonight at “Al Majlis Ballroom” at the Sheraton Resort & Convention Hotel. The Patron of the AGM will be addressing the delegates tonight, followed by a speech by H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, and an address by AACO Secretary General, Mr. Abdul Wahab Teffaha.

 

The AGM working sessions will be held tomorrow on 11 November at ' Al Dafna Ballroom” at the “Sheraton Resort & Convention Hotel”. The sessions will feature AACO Secretary General’s report on the “State of the Industry”, a speech by the Arab Civil Aviation Organization’s Director General, Eng. Abdennabi Manar, and a speech by IATA’s Director General, Mr. Willie Walsh.

 

These will be followed by a discussion panel gathering Chief Executive Officers and Directors General on strategic issues related to the aviation industry. The panel will be moderated this year by Mr. Richard Quest, Anchor and Correspondent / CNN. Panelists participating in the session are: 

1. Mr. Abdelhamid Addou / Chairman of the Board and CEO /Royal Air Maroc 

2. Mr. Tony Douglas / Group Chief Executive Officer/ Etihad Aviation Group

3. Mr. Henrik Hololei / Director-General for Mobility and Transport /European Commission

4. Eng. Abdennabi Manar / Director General / Arab Civil Aviation Organization 

5. Mr. Willie Walsh/ Director General / IATA

The Chairman of the AGM, H.E. Akbar Al-Baker, was also invited to participate in the discussion.

 

After the discussion panel, a closed session will be dedicated for AACO members to discuss and decide on administrative, financial, and strategic issues related to AACO’s work.

 

The AGM will conclude on the same day with a press conference to be held at “Al Rayyan Ballroom” at “Sheraton Resort & Convention Hotel”, at 5:00pm during which the AGM Chairman and AACO Secretary General will be available to answer questions of the media.