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Future growth of African aviation to depend on cooperation

20th April 2018

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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Collaboration between aviation stakeholders, not least governments, in Africa is essential if the aviation sector is to realise its full potential and accelerate the development of the continent. So asserted International Air Transport Association (Iata) VP: Africa Raphael Kuuchi in his keynote address to the recent African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Aviation Stakeholders Convention in Zanzibar.

“Over the next 20 years, air travel is forecast to grow at nearly 6% per year in Africa,” he highlighted. “This represents significant opportunity. Fulfilling this potential will not happen by chance; strong partnerships and cooperation are key. For too long, a lack of cooperation has blighted our great continent’s development.”

But change was happening, he pointed out. Nearly all Africa’s leaders recently signed the framework agreement to set up the African Continental Free Trade Area which, when implemented, would be the biggest free trade agreement since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation. Should all African countries join the continental free trade area by 2030, it would create a market of 1.7-billion people with a consumer and business spending capacity of $6.7-trillion.

Separately, but complementarily, the African Union recently also launched the Single African Air Transport Market, intended to bring the ‘Open Skies’ concept to Africa and increase the continent’s air transport connectivity. In those other regions of the world in which Open Skies policies have been implemented, the results have been increased air traffic, economic growth and job creation.

“We expect no less in Africa,” he affirmed. “An Iata report indicates that, if just 12 key African countries opened their air transport markets, the increased connectivity would foster 155 000 additional jobs and the creation of an extra $1.3-billion, in annual GDP (gross domestic product) in those countries.”

However, he cautioned that for these two major initiatives to work, they had to both be fully implemented. “This will require greater collaboration between governments, which must follow through with their commitments so their economies and aviation can fly high.”

Even under current conditions, aviation supports $72.5-billion in economic activity and 6.8-million jobs in Africa. “Without aviation, Africa would be a more fractured and constrained continent; with aviation, it can better realise its ideals of regional integration, peace and prosperity,” emphasised Kuuchi. “Its potential is almost without limit.”

The airline sector itself provided a good example of the value of cooperation, he noted. “The great partnership that exists between Iata and AFRAA – to support the success of our member airlines – is a great example of collaboration delivering results. Together, we have helped make air travel in Africa safer – in 2016, sub-Saharan Africa had its best performance in ten years, with no passenger fatalities or jet hull losses.”

He pointed out that the global and African airline associations also worked together to improve security, prevent the refragmentation of air traffic management, oppose fruitless investment in unnecessary infrastructure and unblock airline funds. Further, they collaborated to develop the necessary talent to ensure the growth of the industry across Africa.

Another important area of cooperation between Iata and AFRAA concerns the environment, and especially the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Kuuchi described CORSIA as “aviation’s licence to grow sustainably”. Seven countries in Africa have already joined this initiative in the voluntary period. Iata and AFRAA are encouraging more African States to join it.

“The transformative power of collaboration is a proven fact.” he affirmed. “If all of the continent’s aviation stakeholders placed collaboration at the heart of their businesses, then aviation in Africa would soar.”

Iata represents about 280 airlines around the world, which between them are responsible for some 83% of global air traffic. AFRAA was formally established in 1968 and currently has 40 members.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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