This archive report was first published on 7 July 2019.
Published on July 7, 2019, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) aims to open up intra-African air transport, but progress has been slow due to delays in setting up a regulatory framework.
By mid-June, 28 of the 55 member states of the African Union had signed up to the pact, with 18 countries having signed the implementation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). However, some member states, such as Uganda, have refused to sign up, citing concerns that it would create a few dominant carriers and undermine competition.
East African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda, are among the 28 countries that have signed up to SAATM. According to Raphael Kuuchi, International Air Transport Association (IATA) African Envoy for Aeropolitical Affairs, there are two camps among the states that have signed up.
"There are those member states and airlines that are ready to implement the initiative on the fly. But, there are also those that are hesitant and ask what would happen in event of a dispute before a settlement mechanism is in place," said Mr Kuuchi.
Experts believe that SAATM, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the single Africa passport or visa-free intra-Africa travel initiatives need to move in tandem before their full potential can be realised.
The IATA believes that SAATM would provide the connectivity that Africa needs to unlock its economies, with immediate benefits accruing from the economic efficiencies that come from a reduction in the time and cost it takes to travel from one part of the continent to another.
