Kenya is among 23 countries in Africa that launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a move expected to lower air transport costs in the continent by 25 per cent.

The open skies treaty which was signed on Monday at the just concluded African Union Summit on governance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is set to make it easier for Africans to visit African countries without the hassle of long paperwork-laden visa applications or expensive, long-winding air travel and will inadvertently boost the continent’s economy.

According to the International Air Transport Association, an open air policy in Africa will add $1.3 billion (Sh136 billion) to the continent’s gross domestic product every year and create 150,000 additional jobs.

In Kenya, the opening up of African air routes will add $76.9 million (Sh8.14 billion) to the country’s GDP every year while giving the national carrier, Kenya Airways unfettered access and multiple destinations to any city in the countries under the arrangement, as part of African Union’s move to improve connectivity and integrate countries

Currently most countries in Africa are applying protectionism policy to safeguard their domestic carriers from competition, denying regional flights fifth freedom right. KQ for instance cannot stop in Kigali Rwanda to pick customers

Other regional airlines that are set to benefit from the treaty includes: Ethiopian Airlines, RwandaAir and South African Airways, this even as statistics show that 80 per cent of air travel from Africa to the world is controlled by non-African Airlines.

“We have seen 23 member states have pledged their solemn commitment to the Single Air Market, the implementation of which will increase the number of routes, reduce the cost of air travel and contribute to the expansion of intra-African trade and tourism,” said AU chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat

Signing of SAATM now provides regulatory text to the implementation of previous open skies pledges, the 1988 Yamoussoukro Declaration and 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision but will require more countries to come on board.

“We commend the 23 states that have signed up to SAATM. It is an important step forward. But the benefits of a connected continent will only be realized through effective implementation of SAATM—firstly by the countries already committed and also by the remaining 32 AU member nations still to come on board,” said Raphael Kuuchi, IATA’s vice president for Africa.

The single market will evolve into a common aviation area, calling for the abolition of bilateral air service agreement between member states for intra-Africa traffic with airlines able to fly any intra-African routes based on economic and financial considerations of the market.

It is expected to facilitate trade in services and free movement of goods, enhanced cross-border investment in the industry, recognition of community airlines owned by African nationals with efficient and effective regional safety oversight agencies.

Others includes the application of high safety, security and technical standards, harmonised competition regulation and the revision of visa requirements to enable the free movement of Africans in the continent.

It will also guarantees the basic rights of the consumer with a dispute settlement mechanism through negotiation and arbitration, with a Board of Appeal and an Arbitration Tribunal to be established.

The concept of liberalisation of air transport in Africa is coming almost 30 years since the adoption of the Yamoussoukro Declaration, followed 10 years later by the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) of 1999.

It came into force in August 2002, after the expiry of the transitional period of two years.

Other eastern Africa countries that signed the treaty includes Rwanda and Ethiopia. Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi declined.

Source: The Star

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