Chinedu Eze
1 September 2009
Addis Ababa — Aviation experts in Africa yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, identified poor safety and obsolete infrastructure as impediments towards the growth and development of air transport in Africa.
They said presently, the continent accounts for only three per cent of global air traffic and the highest number of accidents in the world and observed that the continent has great potential to rival Europe and North America in air transport, as it has the highest air transport growth rate in the world, coming second only to Middle East.
According to the experts, part of the solution is for African leaders to recommit themselves to the set out goals and policies to move the industry forward and urged collaboration among states and airlines in the continent.
There were some of the reslutions of the aviation experts at a two day African aviation summit, holding in Addis Ababa, with the theme: "Air transport in Africa; One Continent, One Strategy." Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, while speaking at the event, said Africa, which is at the centre of the world map, has vast airspace that is generally underutilised.He said most of the Bilateral Air Service Agreements and Open-Skies deals among African states and between nations in the continent and countries from other regions are not being fully implemented.
This, he said, include the Yamoussoukro Decision, which is aimed at removing restrictions for Africa airlines, so that they can freely fly to any part of the continent without interruptions from any country's Immigration Department. "Africa must be prepared to meet this prospect effectively. The strategy for that preparation and attraction of future air transport activities in and around Africa is total commitment to safety and provision of modern infrastructure by African states.
The African region should aim at zero accident rates. In this connection, the renewed commitment by African states to improve the situation is a welcome development," he said.
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