Day 2 of Africa’s largest aviation summit, saw a lively panel discussion on the way forward in how to remove the barriers for growth in the African airspace sector, to unlock the obvious and enormous potential in the aviation sector.
On the discussion panel was a great depth of knowledge of the local industry with Poppy Khoza, the Director General of SACAA, Capt. John Subek, CEO & Director of the South Sudan CAA, Capt. Gilbert Kibe, the MD of Air Transport Consulting.
Opening remarks laid out the current landscape, with IATA projections, indicating a global 3,8% increase in flights globally in 2024 with 4 billion additional passengers compared to 2023.
The number of active routes currently flown between African states in 2024 is 547, while the potential number of routes operated by African Airlines could reach 1500 odd, should there be flights established between all African States.
Africa is however on the poor end of airline flight volumes with the total share of the global market only a tiny portion at a miserable 2%. Comparatively Africa at one stage, in the 1970’s, held as much as a 48% share of global flights and the big concern is why?
What has happened that the continent with the fastest growing population and vast amounts of potential for economic growth, has fallen into dereliction in terms of Air traffic growth?
John Sudek, provided some insight saying that “The challenges are enormous, there is a lack of political will to support aviation in Africa”. According to Kibe, simply getting aviation on the agenda of regional inter-regional bodies such as that of the African Union is a struggle. Something that he experienced first-hand.
Sudek describes the top challenges as incorporating the following Issues that need urgent action by African leaders with the airline industry:
- Compliance issues
- Regions and states in Africa are operating in silos and not building cohesive strategies and policies
- Lack of co-ordination amongst airlines and regions
- Requirement for skills exchange programs and regional training programs
- Lack of infrastructure development
Poppy Khoza, believes that Africa needs to Standardise regulations across Africa and empower aviation bodies such as the African Civil Aviation Authority to enforce these regulations across the entire air travel echo-system.
Gilbert Kibe added to the discussion with a perspective where he believes that there are already structures in place that can drive growth across Africa, but they have lacked commitment in implementation. Kibe stated, that there is an existing outline of 16 developmental policies within the African Union and that three of which, are key for growth.
“If these three flagship projects are implemented, they will be the oil that drives the engine of economic growth and development of Africa”. Says Kibe
They are:
- The free movement of person’s protocol
- The African continental free-trade agreement
- The single Africa Air Transport Market agreement
Overall the panel agreed that far greater coordinated policy development alongside regional and continental cooperation together with a committed infrastructure development program would go a long way to building up the air transport industry, and along with this be a catalyst for general economic growth across the African continent.
