The opening of the intra-African air transport market has moved a step closer to becoming a reality with the launch of the AU Commission’s single African air transport market (SAATM) in Addis Ababa in January.
According to AllAfrica, this comes almost two decades after the adoption of the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision, which promised to create a single air transport market across Africa by 2002, but has had notably slow progress since then.
Speaking at the 30th AU summit, AU commissioner for infrastructure and energy Amani Abou-Zeid said: ‘With preparations continuing on schedule, the launch of the single African air transport market will spur more opportunities to promote trade and cross-border investments in the production and service industries, including tourism – resulting in the creation of an additional 300 000 direct and 2 million indirect jobs.’
Thus far, 23 African countries (including Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa) out of 55 have reaffirmed their commitment to the SAATM, whereas 44 African countries signed the initial Yamoussoukro Decision.
