Ethiopian Hosts the 17th Annual Conference of the IAAIA - 10 November, 2008

Ethiopian Airlines will proudly host the 17th International conference of the International Association of Airline Internal Auditors (IAAIA) www.iaaia.com which is taking place in Africa for the first time in its history. The theme of this year’s conference is “the new faces and flavor of Airline Auditing”; and will be attended by over 80 delegates (including locals) from over 25 airlines around the world.

The International Association of Airline Internal Auditors (IAAIA) began in 1991 with several airlines who gathered in London to exchange information on the challenges and best practices experienced within their respective Internal Audit departments. The organization has since grown to over 60 member airlines and continues to meet annually all across the globe to network, exchange ideas and seek solutions.

The principal objectives of the association are:

  • To help develop and maintain standards of the practice of internal audit in the airline industry.
  • To promote the study of and research into the internal audit management and practice in the airline industry and to organize conferences, seminars and other activities conducive to these aims.
  • To promote the further co-operation of members, all engaged in internal audit of their respective airline.
  • To promote the profession of Internal Audit in general and to the airline industry in particular.

The significance of this international conference to be held in Addis Ababa may be summed as follows:

  • The main objective of internal audit’s function is to add value to an organization on risk management, corporate governance and internal control through a systematic and disciplined approach. Such conference helps auditors of various airlines to share experiences and get the cutting-edge of audit's best practices (especially unique to the airline complex environment). Current topics on the auditor’s roles in aircraft financing, fuel management and organizational transformation will be covered during the conference.
  • The IAAIA has a strong membership of over 60 IATA and non-IATA airlines. It includes major players in the airline industry as well as various mid-size and low-cost airlines. We believe that the conference will play a positive role on ET’s current and future efforts and strategies to build partnerships with airlines around the globe.
  • The fact that Ethiopian is hosting this event here in Ethiopia will no doubt encourage the participation of other African airlines. Indeed, many delegates are coming from other African airlines. It is anticipated that Ethiopian will further enhance its good image and pioneering spirit as the center for aviation learning and reinforce Ethiopian’s motto of being “The New Spirit of Africa”.
  • The big accounting and auditing firms such as Ernst &Young and Deloitte, as well as a few of the major IT players are also represented at this conference as speakers and sponsors. This will offer delegates an opportunity to learn more about new services and technologies of the profession.
  • Held here in Addis Ababa, the Conference further underscores Ethiopia’s prominence and good image as the preferred tourist destination of the near future and a convenient venue for international meetings.

About Ethiopian

In August 2008 Ethiopian won the 2008 Corporate Achievement Award of Aviation & Allied Business for setting the pace and continued contribution towards the growth of African aviation industry.

In addition, Ethiopian is the first African carrier to win the Brussels Airport Company Award in recognition of its distinguished long haul operations which have been manifested through the development of new routes, new products and close cooperation with Brussels Airport in marketing activities.
Ethiopian also scooped the 2008 Best Airline in Africa Award at the African Travel Award in Lagos, Nigeria for its excellent network and convenient connections in Africa.

Ethiopian Airlines, www.ethiopianairlines.com, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa made its maiden flight to Cairo in 1946. With the recent addition of new flight services to Ouagadougou, Lubumbashi, and Abuja Ethiopian provides seamless services to 33 cities in Africa and to a total of 53 international destinations spread around the globe.