The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo has stressed the need for collaborative efforts among African nations to realize the goals of Single African Air Transport Market, SAATM.
He emphasized SAATM’s potential for increased trade, tourism, and investment opportunities that a unified air transport market could bring.
The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), is an initiative aimed at liberalizing the African aviation industry to enhance connectivity, improve safety standards, and boost economic growth.
The Minister in his address at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Johannesburg, South Africa titled “Wings of Change Focus Africa 2024, outlined several key contributions necessary for achieving the SAATM objectives, including: policy harmonization, infrastructure development, capacity building and public-private partnerships.
The Minister also called for a concerted effort to address the challenges facing the African aviation industry, such as high operational costs, restrictive bilateral agreements, and limited access to financing.
He stressed that overcoming these obstacles is essential to unlocking the full potential of SAATM and achieving the broader economic benefits for the continent.
The IATA conference is a key platform for dialogue and collaboration among African aviation leaders, regulators, and industry experts.
