The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has called on the Banjul Accord Group of States to expedite action in actualising a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Keyamo made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday at the 18th Opening Plenary of the Banjul Accord Group.
He expressed that the implementation of the SAATM has been slow in delivering the desired results of deepening connectivity in Africa.
Daily Trust reports that SAATM is one of the projects of the African Union to create a single market for air transport in Africa.
As of last year, 38 out of 55 countries in Africa have signed up for the SAATM established in January 2018 as a platform to liberalise air transportation in Africa and increase aviation contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of African countries.
Keyamo said, “There is an urgent need to implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) for the benefit of our sub-region and the entire African continent. As we all know, SAATM represents a bold and visionary step toward achieving the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and unlocking the immense potential of air connectivity across our continent.
“You will agree with me that despite our strong political will and numerous declarations, progress has been slow, and fragmentation remains a barrier to our regional integration.
“It is believed that SAATM will enhance intra-African connections and make movement of passengers and cargo smooth with minimum transit points at competitive prices.
“Achieving these requires our collective resolve not only to implement SAATM, but also to make conscious efforts to address the issues of non-physical barriers including the high cost of travel within the region.”
He however called on member States “To move beyond commitments and take coordinated, deliberate steps toward making SAATM a living reality.”
Also speaking, the Director General, Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo noted that the group continues to serve as a beacon of sub-regional cooperation in ensuring a safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible air transport sector in line with the “No Country Left Behind” initiative by ICAO.
He added that “Nigeria, being a driving force in the sub-regional group, remains steadfast in its fervent support for the laudable objectives of BAG and is committed to playing an active and constructive role in seeing to the realization of such an air transport sector in West Africa and beyond.”
