AFRAA Summit Opens in Kampala
The AFRAA Annual General Assembly in Kampala focuses on discussions about African aviation’s profitability and challenges in air travel liberalization. Hosted by Uganda Airlines, the summit addresses the theme “Strides to Transform Aviation for Development,” aligning with the Yamoussoukro Declaration’s goal of liberalizing air transport in Africa.
The 55th African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Assembly (AGA) and Summit has opened today Monday 20th November 2023 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
It is anticipated that the summit’s discussions will center on how airlines can turn a profit as well as the liberalization of air travel throughout Africa.
Uganda Airlines is the summit’s host, and its theme is “Strides to Transform Aviation for Development.”
The Yamoussoukro declaration, which established a framework for the liberalization of air transport services between African countries, was passed in 1999 and supports the liberalization of access to air transport markets in Africa, also known as the “Open Skies” policy. In 2002, the declaration came into force.
Discussions are expected to focus on liberalization and better intra-African travel, which has eluded the continent for the past 20 years, as close to 500 prominent delegates from the aviation industries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America gather in Kampala.
However, because of stringent regulatory agreements among the States that control the provision of air travel, complete liberalization of the air transport markets has since remained an illusion.
As a result, the aviation sector has been losing out on a number of advantages, including expanded flight frequencies and industry growth overall.
According to a 2013 report, routes subject to some form of liberalization saw a 40% increase in departure frequency when compared to routes subject to restrictive bilateral arrangements.
According to data from AFRAA on the effects of intra-African liberalization among 12 African states, Uganda would gain an extra 18,600 jobs and an additional $77.6 million in GDP if the air transport sector were liberalized.
Additionally, it is predicted that 116,000 more visitors will come to the nation each year as a result of liberalization, stimulating an additional $74.3 million in tourism spending.
Additionally, it was predicted that traffic would double and that consumers would benefit from a 30% decrease in airfare.
Prior to Uganda reviving its national airline, Uganda Airlines, these findings were made public. This suggests that Uganda stands to gain more from the opening up of its national airline for business.
“From travelers’ experience, we still have barriers in areas of bilateral agreements between countries, restrictions on the capacity of airlines, restrictions on frequency and other regulations,” Deo Nyanzi, Uganda Airlines manager for government relations and routes coordination said.
Last year, AFRAA said the East African region had been chosen to pioneer the ‘open skies policy’ in Africa due to its high levels of integration and policy harmonization.
The three-day event will bring together cross-industry players in tourism, regulation, and taxation that impact the industry. On Sunday, delegates visited the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) to get a sense of Uganda’s tourism offering.
Chairmen and senior executives from African airlines, as well as decision-makers from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), civil aviation authorities, airport operators, providers of air navigation services, manufacturers of engines and aircraft, component suppliers, and numerous other service providers, will be present.
Delegates are expected to discuss the question of African airlines profitability as the industry turns around the tide left by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There are services and inputs like fuel that are pulled together to drive the industry’s profitability. This will be a big platform to discuss such inputs and services,” Nyanzi said.
