Pretoria- Transport Ministers in Africa at their meeting on Wednesday night in Pretoria agreed to set up a single African air transport market by 2017.
The ministers threw their weight behind a proposal by the African Union Commission (AUC) for the establishment of the market.
The meeting was convened with the main objective of engaging the ministers and seeking their guidance on the implementation of this major continental initiative in the air transport industry.
The meeting, hosted by Dipuo Peters, South African Minister of Transport, brought together members of the current Bureau of the Conference of the African Ministers of Transport (CAMT).
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Ministers from five states representing each region of the African Union with various aviation backgrounds also attended the meeting.
Peters said the meeting acknowledged the activities implemented by the AUC to make the establishment of a single African air transport market a reality by 2017.
“Fostering the African aviation industry may be one of the driving forces of regional integration on the continent.
“A better connected African countries and regions, through a viable air transport industry, could be the catalyst that can boost intra-African business, trade, tourism as well as cultural exchanges”, she said.
She added that the demand for air transport in Africa had increased steadily, with passenger numbers and freight traffic growing by 45 per cent and 80 per cent respectively.
Peters said the trend was expected to continue in the coming years due to a number of factors.
She said these include a robust economic growth, demographic boom, increasing urbanisation and emergence of the middle class.
“The expansion in air transport also creates market opportunities for local entrepreneurs by creating regional and global economic centres”, she said.
Peters also acknowledged that the industry was being hampered by poor record of safety and security, lack of adequate resources and infrastructure, distance and limited connectivity, lack of regulation and `government actions.’
“African countries must first link with their own African neighboring countries before they can forge links with other countries.
“The fear of competition amongst African counties undercuts national airlines’ abilities to enhance their commercial viability”, she added.
Participants highlighted the benefits of full liberalisation and unification of air transport markets in Africa.
They expressed the readiness of their respective states to enter into an open skies agreement with other African countries during the Jan. 2015 AU Summit. (Xinhua/NAN)
