The sports category has moved to a new website.

Ghana's Vice President outlines why Africa needs single air transport

Ghana’s Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has challenged African leaders and stakeholders in the aviation industry to work harder toward achieving the single African Air Transport Market policy.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

According to him, the policy will make air travel within the continent more affordable and convenient.

Dr Bawumia made the revelation while giving the opening address at a 2-day International Air Transport Association (IATA) regional aviation forum in Accra on Monday, 24 June 2019.

He questioned the protectionist and silo mentality that currently characterises the aviation industry in Africa, noting that this is militating against its growth and making travel on the continent prohibitive.

“The cost of travel is so much higher on the continent. Muhammad Albakri (Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East of IATA) was giving us data that this was about 45% higher. Yet we all know what we need to do – we’ve known it for quite a while – what we need to do to overcome these challenges. We’ve talked about an Open Skies policy; we’ve talked about a single African air market,” he said, 

ADVERTISEMENT

He added, “We’ve been doing a lot of talking but less of the doing, and this challenge has bedevilled us. You see other parts of the world that these issues have been pretty much sorted and the cost of air travel has been much lower. We are making very slow progress and it is time for us to really look at how we are going to bring this into a reality.”

“I know that countries are signing bilateral agreements and so on; in my own honest opinion, I think that is a slow track. How much longer will it take for all the African countries to sign bilateral agreements to open up the skies? We need a major commitment to making sure the African Continental Free Trade agreement is given real meaning in the area of air travel. We need that commitment,” Dr Bawumia noted.

Shedding more light on the soon-to-be-implemented African Continental Free Trade agreement, the Vice President explained that it “is going to be the largest free-trade area in the world; we are liberalising the trade of both goods and services. I think that together with governments – and Ghana is prepared to be a partner in this – IATA, we need to assemble everybody to look at the implications of the African Continental Free Trade agreement which has liberalised trade in goods and services, which includes air services. We need to look at what the implications are for the Open Skies policy in the single African trade market.”

“That should be your next conference, so that we look at the implementation modalities, because like it or not, the African continental free trade agreement is coming into force. So, we have to move away from the slow track and try to make sure that by next year the single African Air Transport market becomes a reality. If we all put our efforts together at the political level and at the technical level, I believe we can do it. I believe we can do it, and we should try and do it.”

The Regional Forum was themed “Aviation: Business for Regional Prosperity”. Participants at the Forum include Muhammad Ali Albakri, Regional Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East of IATA, the heads of Aviation for several African countries, as well as stakeholders in the travel and tour industry drawn from across the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

Recommended articles

10 African cities with the highest crime index at the start of 2024

10 African cities with the highest crime index at the start of 2024

Machoka at 70: Emotions run high during Citizen TV presenter's birthday [Video]

Machoka at 70: Emotions run high during Citizen TV presenter's birthday [Video]

Diwali 2022: Is Monday a public holiday in Kenya?

Diwali 2022: Is Monday a public holiday in Kenya?

Akothee finally reveals reasons for separating from Omosh 1 month after wedding

Akothee finally reveals reasons for separating from Omosh 1 month after wedding

Man, once a ‘billionaire’, recounts how he lost wealth, now sells his book on streets [Video]

Man, once a ‘billionaire’, recounts how he lost wealth, now sells his book on streets [Video]

Details of Ngina Kenyatta's luxurious restaurant

Details of Ngina Kenyatta's luxurious restaurant

Zero Chills! Jackie Matubia's advice for Milly Chebby amid the unfollow drama

Zero Chills! Jackie Matubia's advice for Milly Chebby amid the unfollow drama

Nigerian royal dignitaries, including four kings and a queen, expected to attend Museveni’s 50th wedding anniversary celebrations

Nigerian royal dignitaries, including four kings and a queen, expected to attend Museveni’s 50th wedding anniversary celebrations

10 African countries with the strongest military power in 2024

10 African countries with the strongest military power in 2024

ADVERTISEMENT