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Survival of African air transport market in jeopardy

THE failure of African states to establish a single air transport market is threatening the demise of the continent's air transport industry as it has enabled the foreign carriers to dominate African skies.

According to Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, 30 years ago African airlines carried 60 per cent of the passenger traffic between Africa and the rest of the world. Three decades later, that market share has dived to 20 per cent, leaving the remainder to non-African airlines.

"This is a gradual death of indigenous African carriers," Mr Gebremariam told delegates attending the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting on Air Cargo Development in Africa, held in Addis Ababa.

"I am not complaining for my carrier because Ethiopian Airlines is doing very well. But I am concerned like any citizen of this continent that we are watching the death of our industry," he said.

"Are we giving enough attention to air cargo? Are we giving due attention to air transport in general in Africa? That is a burning question that is being asked in the industry."

Major African carriers like Air Afrique, Nigeria Airways, Ghana Airways, Congo Airways and Zambia Airways have been liquidated, while the few remaining struggle to survive, Aviation International News reported.

Mr Gebremraim explained that African carriers face their current predicament due to a lack of cooperation and a failure to implement plans aimed at ensuring mutual benefit.

Twenty years ago African states endorsed the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD), which called for the liberalisation of African skies for African airlines and aimed to establish a single African air transport market like the European Union by avoiding market restrictions imposed by bilateral air service agreements.

Yet to date, African states have failed to fully implement the declaration. "The delay of this important policy instrument has enabled the foreign carriers to dominate African skies while African countries are depriving indigenous carriers of market access," Mr Gebremariam said.

He called on ICAO, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the African Union (AU), the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), African airlines and Civil Aviation Authorities to find a solution together.

African Civil Aviation Authorities plan to lobby for a renewed impetus to quickly implement the Yamoussoukro Declaration at the annual African heads of states summit to be held in Addis Ababa next week.