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Remember Deketeke
Herald Reporter
THE Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) yesterday joined the African civil aviation community in celebrating the 24th Anniversary of the Yamoussoukro Decision Day (YD Day), which was set aside by Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) to push for improved air transport services in Africa.
The day was set aside by the 29th Assembly of the Heads of States and Government of the AU Agenda 2063 project for the liberalisation of scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services within Africa and with an overall aim of removing restrictions on traffic rights, capacity and frequency between city airports.
The YD was endorsed by African heads of State and went into effect in July 2000 in Lomé, Togo.
The main objective of the AU leaders was to liberalise scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services in Africa with the overarching goal of reducing capacity and frequency between metropolitan airports to enhance the continent’s connectivity and integration.
“The main objective of AU leaders was to improve the continent’s connectivity and integration through the liberalisation of scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services in Africa, and the removal of all restrictions on traffic rights, capacity, tariffs and frequency between city airports.
“Despite the slow implementation of the decision and the limited success achieved by member states, the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as the first flagship project of the AU’s Agenda 2063 on January 28 2018, became a watershed for the full liberalisation of Africa air transport,” said a statement from the leaders.
The Single African Air Transport Market-Pilot Implementation Project (SAATM-PIP) initiative was launched during the 23rd YD Day anniversary event on the 14 November 2022 in Dakar, Senegal, under the theme “Accelerating of Air Transport Liberalisation in Africa To Improve Continental Connectivity And Integration”.
“The goal of the SAATM-PIP is to improve 5th Freedom Traffic Operations across Africa from the current level of 14,5 percent to 30 percent by 2025 and increase inter-sectoral collaborations and synergies between air transport institutions and other sectors of the economy.
“Zimbabwe through the Transport and Infrastructural Development Ministry, is among the 37-member states that have subscribed to the commitment to unconditionally implement the YD and SAATM, and this cluster represents over 80 percent of the existing aviation market in Africa,” they said.
In a statement, CAAZ said it has implemented the Open Skies Policy, leading to the liberalisation of the skies in a number of areas.
“In line with the Government’s thrust that Zimbabwe is open for business, CAAZ has operationalised the Open Skies Policy which has seen liberalisation of the skies.
“Foreign Operator Permits (FOPs) have been granted to several African Airlines for direct flights into three international Airports namely RG Mugabe, Victoria Falls and JM Nkomo.
“In 2023 alone, the following Airlines have commenced operations; Fly SafAir, Eswatini Air, Zambia Airways and CEMAIR while Ethiopian Airlines is operating direct flights to all three international airports and in other instances frequencies have been increased for existing airlines,” said CAAZ.
In December 2022, four new Air Service Agreements (ASA) compliant with YD were initiated with SAATM member states namely Benin, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali allowing for multiple airline destination, unrestricted frequencies for both passengers and cargo services as well as in restricted 5th freedom traffic rights on intra-Africa traffic points.
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