34 years ago, a vision was born, known as the Yamoussoukro Declaration, the vision saw a fully liberalized Intra-African aviation industry.
11 years later, the implementation of the decision took flight with the Yamoussoukro Decision.
More than two decades later, the vision remains in the African Union (AU) integration blueprint but time is seemingly running out on the goal for an open aviation market.
The African continental Trade agreement will increase both intro Africa trade and global business.
Restrictions
Pressure to have a liberalised aviation sector has been accelerated over the past couple of years by the emergence of the Covid-19 crisis.
The sector alongside tourism were the first to take damage from the global health crisis and are tipped to be among the last sector’s to fully make recovery from the crisis.
However, air cargo business and aviation logistics increased with vaccine and healthcare products increased cargo trade.
Even so, the impact of the pandemic on aviation has been more profound in Africa than in other parts of the world.
First off, a bias on the imposition of travel restrictions saw travel bans in and out of a majority of African countries.
This heavily impacted continental carriers, which are greatly reliant on the global aviation market with the intra-African market yet to fully mature although budget airlines seem to be growing and making profits.The lack of a fully mature intra-African aviation industry across the continent, meanwhile returned to bite the continent hard with the limited access of international destinations on the widespread restrictions imposed to greater magnitude on African States.The African aviation industry would have likely avoided the greater fall out of restriction had it developed its own air travel market and infrastructure and navigation including across the continent having all major airports with global safety standards. SAATM The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as envisioned three decades ago as the first flagship project under AU Agenda 2063 must now come into fruition in the short to medium term.The implementation of the project is expected to flank the successful operation of African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCTA) increase free movement of people, investors and tourists within the continent.A free air transport market further complements investment, employment, and entrepreneurship to foster, free movement of people and goods and the roll-out of the regional or African passport.Further journey and wait times for air transport are set to come down by at least one fifth, air fares will […]
