VistaJet brought business leaders and heads of state and governments together at the ninth Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing in early September. The FOCAC summit, which meets once every three years in either China or Africa, aims to expand and deepen the China-Africa cooperation and relationship.

According to the International Monetary Fund, China has become Africa's largest trading partner under programmes such as the Belt and Road Initiative. Around 20 per cent of the region's exports now go to China and about 16 per cent of Africa's imports come from China. This amounted to a record high of $282 billion in total trade volume in 2023. Growing the private aviation network in both China and Africa, VistaJet plays a crucial role in fostering business ties and helping to drive mutually beneficial economic growth and development in the regions.

During this year's FOCAC, China further amplified its commitment to the development of Africa by pledging China's support across Africa with a funding of nearly $51 billion over the next three years, backing for more infrastructure projects and the creation of at least one million jobs. Similarly, the second Indonesia-Africa Forum was held in Bali in early September, where Indonesia successfully recorded 32 business partnerships with a total value of over $3.5 billion, demonstrating the growing relationship between Asia and Africa.

Philippe Scalabrini, president of Europe and Africa at VistaJet, says: “The role of private aviation does not stop at air mobility. Not only it is the safest and most efficient way for point-to-point travel, it also brings the world together and opens the door to deep collaborations and exploring new opportunities. Every day VistaJet is trusted by world leaders because it focuses on what it does best, providing the most rigorous safety and security, upholding to its commitment of guaranteed aircraft availability for its members to fly anywhere at any time, to offer maximum efficiency in private travel.”

Throughout 2023, VistaJet witnessed a steady increase in its member base across regions, with a marked 35 per cent year-on-year growth recorded in Africa. The demand for services from Africa and China in particular continues to rise in 2024, the most requested aircraft being Challenger 605 for regional flights and Global 7500 for long-haul travel up to 17 hours non-stop. In the past 12 months, VistaJet has deployed a dedicated fleet in Africa to accommodate the increasing flight demand among the continent's countries, China and the rest of the world.

With a member fleet of aircraft covering 96 per cent of the world, VistaJet continues to bridge the economic advancement of different regions and showcases the indispensable role of private aviation in fostering business opportunities and economic growth.