The Director General, Civil Aviation, Nigeria, Captain Musa Nuhu has advocated for a no visa policy in all African countries to boost air transport in Africa.
Rwanda, Kenya, Seychelles, Benin, and the Gambia have implemented visa-free travel for all Africans. He said five countries out of 54 African countries. This is anti connectivity he alluded.
Captain Nuhu spoke on Monday in Abuja at the 24th Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) Week under the theme “African Wants to Fly.” the event is a four day programme and witnessed participants accross the African continent.
“A couple of African countries have removed visa requirements for Africans. I enjoyed other Africans to do that. That will certainly stimulate air transport in Africa. This will lead to more direct flights, improved frequency, improve routs and make the movement of passengers and cargo easier with minimal transit points at competitive prices” the DGCA said.
The minister also strongly advocated for a single regulatory agency and a single policy for Africa as it’s experienced in Europe for more seamless operations.
Let the African Aviation ministers go to the AU to get one civil aviation regulation and one regulatory. 54 different policies and 54 different policies won’t work for SAATM, not even 50 years from now, he said.
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the full liberalization of YD/SAATM.
“While Nigeria has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AFCAC for tracking and monitoring the full implementation of YD/SAATM, she is also in the process of setting up a National Implementation Committee that would include various relevant stakeholders to enable further discussion that would facilitate the full implementation of YD/SAATM in Nigeria” he explained.
According to Captain Nuhu, this year’s Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) Week will afford States in identifying the status of implementation of the YD/SAATM while encouraging Member States and all partner to join hands in the implementation of SAATM.
The YD Week will also encourage African Airlines to take full advantage of the benefits of SAATM and expand their operations across Africa.
Captain Musa further stated that air connectivity is an asset, which improves the global competitiveness of cities, States and regions. Increased air connectivity brings concrete value by making trips shorter with optimal user satisfaction at minimum prices.
“We know that YD/SAATM would enhance connectivity by removing barriers and restrictions on air travel between African countries. This would lead to more direct flights, increased frequency, and improved routes, making movement of passengers and cargo easier and smoother with minimum transit points at competitive prices. Achieving successful implementation of SAATM therefore, require our collect resolve and effective collaboration as well as commitment to address challenges and other non-physical barriers such as high cost of travel, regulatory harmonization, infrastructure development, and the enforcement of safety standards within the African continent” he explained.
He reminded that the desired objectives of YD/SAATM include the need to support Africa’s social, economic, and political integration as well as boost infra-African trade and tourism in accordance with the African Union Agenda 2063.
SAATM is a catalyst for the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement through the movement of people and goods across the continent. Both are flagship programs of AU Agenda 2063 he further stated.
Also speaking at the event, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Secretary General
Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi said despite the believe in some quarters that the YD/SAATM implementation across the continent has not been standardized and has not yielded the expected results, there is significant progress being made especially with the introduction of the noble initiative of SAATM Pilot Implementation Project (PIP).
“Therefore, this workshop could not have come at a better time than now as all hands are on deck to improve air connectivity across Africa in order to contribute to economic growth, job creation, encourage investment and innovation, improve the movement of people and goods as well as the efficiency of businesses between and amongst countries thereby boosting socio-economic development of the African Continent” she explained.
She said organizing this workshop Is in direct compliance with the Assembly Decision in 2018 for the AUC and AFCAC to create awareness and dissemination of key continental aviation frameworks especially the Yamoussoukro Decision Regulatory and Institutional Texts, the African Civil Aviation Policy (AFCAP), as well as undertake capacity building of Member States and RECs on application and domestication of those instruments.
