dyton mupawaenda
Elita Chikwati-Features Editor
As Zimbabwe continues to find, the liberalisation of air transport enhances the quality of services and leads to a surge in air traffic volume, facilitating tourism, trade, investment and growth in other sectors of the economy.
Now others are invited to do the same. This came out at a validation workshop on review of national laws, rules, regulations and policies to conform with the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision in the Eastern Africa, Southern African and the Indian Ocean Region under the programme of support to the air transport sector development.
The workshop was organised by Comesa and held in Cairo, Egypt, from Monday to yesterday.
The workshop which was meant to present and validate the draft final report on the review of the national laws, rules, regulations, and policies to conform with the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision was attended by the sector technical experts from regional economic communities, aviation partners and technical experts from the departments and agencies responsible for the formulation and implementation of the air transport policy in member states.
Comesa secretary-general Mrs Chileshe Kapwepwe and director infrastructure and logistics Mr Jean Baptiste Mutabazi said air transport was one of the most vital modes of transport both regionally and globally.
“The economic benefits of implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision include fare savings, greater connectivity, time savings, greater convenience and positive impact on other sectors of the economy,” he said.
The Comesa secretariat and the European Union signed a grant contribution agreement of €8 million for the support to air transport sector development in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO).
The grant will also help develop the air transport sector in this large region and strengthen regulatory and institutional capacity of civil aviation institutions. It is also aimed at improving air navigation efficiency in the region.
Comesa sees air transport as a catalyst for economic development and a vital engine of global socio-economic growth.
“Air transport opens and connects markets, facilitates trade, enables industries to link into global supply chains. It plays a pivotal role in just-in-time global manufacturing production as well as in speeding the transportation of perishable produce from agricultural communities to global markets,” said Comesa.
Air connectivity has become an important value chain that stimulates air transport and economic development. Enhanced air connectivity therefore helps to raise productivity, encourages investment and innovation; improves business operations and efficiency. Air connectivity and infrastructural development have been identified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation as means of contributing to the achievement of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 of decent work and economic growth and SDG 9 of industry, innovation and infrastructure.
One of the African Union flagship projects for Agenda 2063 is the establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which aims to ensure intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa and create a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.
SAATM provides for the full liberalisation of intra-African air transport services in terms of market access, traffic rights for scheduled and freight air services by eligible airlines thereby improving air services connectivity and air carrier efficiencies.
It removes restrictions on ownership and provides for the full liberalisation of frequencies, tariffs and capacity.
Online Reporter