Aviation-Event has concluded its participation in the Hessian economic delegation to Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, led by Hessian State Minister Manfred Pentz. The six-day mission brought together a 33-member business delegation and focused on new economic partnerships, investment and innovation across East Africa.
For Aviation-Event, the mission combined high-level political and business exchange with a clear aviation perspective: stronger connectivity, infrastructure and logistics are essential to turning economic potential into sustainable links between Europe and East Africa.
From Dar es Salaam to Nairobi
Marcel Riwalsky, CEO of Aviation-Event, contributed as a speaker at Invest.EastAfrica! in Dar es Salaam, highlighting the role of aviation connectivity and infrastructure in supporting tourism, investment and regional economic development. The delegation then continued to Kenya, where the final and largest Invest.EastAfrica! conference in Nairobi brought together around 600 CEOs, business representatives and political leaders from the region.
AI Alliance between Hessen and the East African Community
A central outcome of the mission was the signing of an AI Alliance between Hessen and the East African Community (EAC). The agreement is intended to create a direct innovation channel in digitalisation and artificial intelligence between Hessen and East Africa, under the guiding idea of German technology meeting African innovation.
Hessian State Minister Manfred Pentz: “International partnerships are not a luxury. They are the foundation for our economic success in Hessen.”
Aviation as an enabler of economic cooperation
Throughout the journey, Aviation-Event engaged with business and political stakeholders on aviation, infrastructure, tourism and logistics. These sectors are closely connected to the wider economic priorities identified during the mission, including digitalisation, health and pharmaceuticals, critical raw materials and new investment opportunities.
Marcel Riwalsky, CEO, Aviation-Event: “East Africa has enormous momentum. This mission showed that aviation is not a side issue – it is part of the infrastructure that makes investment, tourism and cross-border business possible. The next step is to turn the contacts and ideas created during the delegation into concrete cooperation.”
Aviation-Event will continue to develop its engagement in Africa and to connect airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policymakers and industry partners through media, conferences and strategic networking.
