Photo: VCG

Civil and military aviation in Africa is undergoing a period of structural transformation, driven by the need for regional integration and economic expansion. In an interview with TV 247, Hussein Dabbas, Embraer's director-general of Institutional Relations for Africa and the Middle East, highlighted the strategic role of the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer on the African continent, discussing the expansion of the commercial fleet, defense partnerships and the company's high global demand. Dabbas is part of the business mission to Southern Africa promoted by ApexBrasil and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and participated in the Brazil-South Africa Business Mission in Johannesburg.

The third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, Embraer is consolidating its presence on the African continent through its four main divisions: commercial aviation, defense and security, executive jets, and aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.

"In Africa in general, we have more than 160 aircraft flying with different airlines. Embraer's main operation in Africa is in South Africa, with Airlink operating more than 72 aircraft — all of them Embraer aircraft in operation — in addition to other airlines in Africa."

Historically, the lack of direct routes between smaller urban centers has limited the growth potential of several African countries. According to Dabbas, Embraer's regional aircraft models offer a solution to shorten distances and stimulate local economies by connecting secondary routes.

"We are very confident that our aircraft will help with the connectivity process in Africa. Connectivity has always been a challenge in Africa due to the lack of flights between major cities or secondary cities. Our aircraft will facilitate the movement of people, trade, economic development and so on. This is what we are seeing in Africa in general, and in South Africa in particular."

In addition to aircraft deliveries, the manufacturer's activities include technical training and local infrastructure to support the aviation sector over the long term.

"The training centers that we have built and supported together with different airlines in the region have also contributed to the growth of the aviation sector in these countries. Countries depend on aviation to grow economically and socially, and to develop in general. We have observed this in many countries around the world, and South Africa is one of the leading countries in Africa that has used aviation to expand its industries in general aviation and other manufacturing sectors."

Addressing the company's global outlook, Dabbas emphasized the historic growth phase experienced by Embraer, driven by strong demand for regional transportation and aftermarket maintenance services.

"In recent years, Embraer has recorded growth never before seen in its history. This year, we are celebrating Embraer's 57th anniversary. We have a firm order backlog of more than $32 billion in aircraft. The company is showing extremely strong growth performance and experiencing very high demand for regional aircraft that create connectivity and link secondary cities to other secondary cities."

Dabbas also highlighted the growth of the executive aviation market for Embraer across the African continent.

"Our executive aviation division is also performing extremely well, and our maintenance and services facilities are being used to expand maintenance centers — what we call MROs — in different parts of the world, and in Africa in particular."

(Reported by Brasil 247 on August 28, 2026)