Rustenburg — President Thabo Mbeki yesterday called on the African aviation industry to clean up its image, which is tarnished by accidents and frequent flight cancellations, and help the continent host a successful 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Addressing delegates at the African Union air transport conference at Sun City, Mbeki said the African aviation industry needed to develop a "comprehensive and concrete" programme of action.

"The parlous state of affairs of the aviation industry leaves a lot to be desired. Airlines are often unreliable, with frequent cancellations that are not only inconvenient but also unproductive," Mbeki said.

Raising safety standards is a key challenge for improving the transport infrastructure of the continent. Although Africa only accounts for 3% of global air traffic, 27% of all fatal air accidents occurred on the continent last year, Mbeki said.

"We have committed ourselves to reduce accidents 50% by 2010, but this requires steadfast decisions in the areas of upper airspace management, maintenance, and operations on the ground," he said.

Mbeki also urged African states to liberalise their aviation markets and encouraged airlines to establish "well-oiled structures of alliance and partnership" to allow for the easy movement of passengers and goods within the continent.

Airports, which were often not suitable for modern aircraft, also needed to be upgraded, he said.

"If we are to give this event (the 2010 World Cup) the distinctively African flavour we have promised, we have to make sure that Africa is well represented on the field as well as in the stands of the stadiums.

"We need easy air access, cheaper fares, as little regulation as possible and a well-oiled structure of ... partnerships between the airlines of our continent."

He urged the speedy implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision, which aims to liberalise the airspace in Africa.

The decision, adopted in 1999, seeks to "open the skies" and offer frequencies and traffic rights to African airlines.

Implementation of the treaty was planned for 2002, but has been stalled by a lack of political will. Fearing tough competition against their national carriers, some countries have deliberately made it difficult for other airlines to operate within their airspace.

President of the African Airlines Association, Christian Folly-Kossi, said a lack of co-operation among the continent's airlines had resulted in passengers finding it easier to fly via Europe to other parts of Africa.

"A trip from Niamey (in Niger) to Khartoum (Sudan's capital) can take three days unless it is made through Europe," said Folly-Kossi.

He said some airlines were so small that they would not survive for long on their own.

Folly-Kossi also urged governments to stop imposing "unbearable taxes" on air travellers. He said taxes on some African routes were higher than the total fares for transport by road. The conference ends today and it is expected to adopt a draft resolution on time frames for the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision.