African air transport leaders warn of industry’s demise

AINonline: Stiff competition coming from non-African carriers and failure of African states to establish a single air transport market threatens the death of the continent’s air transport industry, according to delegates at the second International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Meeting on Air Cargo Development in Africa, which started on 27 June in Addis Ababa. 

Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam addresses ICAO’s second meeting on air cargo development in Africa

Among the most vocal proponent for change, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam reckoned that 30 years ago African airlines carried 60% of the passenger traffic between Africa and the rest of the world.  Three decades later, that market share has plunged to 20%, leaving the rest to non-African airlines.

“This is a gradual death of indigenous African carriers,” said Gebremariam. “I am not complaining for my carrier because Ethiopian Airlines is doing very well. But I am concerned like any citizen of this continent that we are watching the death of our industry.”     

 “Are we giving enough attention to air cargo? Are we giving due attention to air transport in general in Africa? That is a burning question that is being asked in the industry,” he added.

Major African carriers like Air Afrique, Nigeria Airways, Ghana Airways, Congo Airways and Zambia Airways have liquidated, while the few remaining struggle to survive.

Gebremraim explained that African carriers face their current predicament due to a lack of cooperation and a failure to implement liberalisation plans.  Twenty years ago African states endorsed the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD), which called for the liberalisation of African skies for African airlines and aimed to establish a single African air transport market like that of the European Union by avoiding market restrictions imposed by bilateral air service agreements.

Yet, to date, African states have failed to fully implement the declaration.  “The delay of this important policy instrument has enabled the foreign carriers to dominate African skies while African countries are depriving indigenous carriers of market access,” Gebremariam said.

Gebremariam called on ICAO, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the African Union (AU), the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), African airlines and civil aviation authorities to find a solution together.   

African civil aviation authorities plan to lobby for a renewed impetus to quickly implement the Yamoussoukro Declaration at the annual African heads of states summit to be held in Addis Ababa next week.    

The President of the ICAO Council, Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, recalled his participation in drafting the African market liberalisation initiative 20 years ago in Addis Ababa. “We were supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). It is sad that 20 years later we are discussing the same problem at the same venue,” said Aliu.

He noted that ICAO assists African states’ initiatives on market liberalisation and safety issues. However, he said African states must look to themselves for solutions. In January 2015, 11 member states of the AU signed for the “solemn commitment” for the fulfilment of a single African air transport market. Nine more have joined since then. A few of the countries have exchanged letters to open their markets to each other without preconditions.      

“The implementation of the YD has been very slow,” reiterated Iyabo Sosina, Secretary General of AFCAC. However, she said, AFCAC will continue to remind member states of the importance of joining the champion states in advancing the continental agenda.