Page 12 - LUA January - February 2023 Magazine

SPECIAL REPORT

the SAATM, with the approval of the AU,
was fitted out with updated and improved
vital instruments including the dispute
settlement mechanism and competition
rules which were previously lacking in the
YD and largely caused stagnation of the
YD. With this, Africa is set to implement its
liberalisation under the SAATM.
MASAS DRIVE
INTERCONNECTIVITY
Africa celebrated the YD Day 2022 in
November in Dakar, Senegal, with the
launch of the ambitious SAATM Pilot
Implementation Project (PIP) involving
18 pilot States. More remarkably,
the continent tested its resolve to
implement the policy harmonisation
for the liberalisation of its air transport
market as the pilot States
and others engaged in
robust discussions and
agreements during
the global Air Services Delegates at the ICAO ICAN 2022 held in Abuja, Nigeria
Negotiation event
(ICAN) organized by the has implored African States Anthony Derjacques, Minister of
International Civil Aviation to ensure intra-African air Transport of Seychelles, enthused that
Organization (ICAO) in Abuja, services agreement going Seychelles has signed many agreements at
Nigeria, in December 2022. forward should be multilateral or the ICAO ICAN, including with Nigeria;
“Over 400 participants representing 63 plurilateral to drive liberalisation on the and looks forward to “seamless air travel”
countries concluded 212 new international continent. Ideally, therefore, SAATM- ipso facto.
air services agreements at ICAO’s 2022 Air compliant African states were not expected Mohamed Rahma, Director of ICAO’s
Services Negotiation (ICAN) event,” ICAO to sign bilateral air services agreements at Air Transport Bureau, saw the ICAO
stated. ICAO Council President Salvatore the ICAO ICAN 2022. ICAN as a remarkable success, with
Sciacchitano stated that “the progressive Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Togo, 100 virtual participants from 60 states.
resurgence of the air transport industry Rwanda, South Africa among several He tasked African states to implement
is proceeding at a post-pandemic pace,” other African States signed agreements SAATM without hesitation, and assured of
saying also that the agreements at the event at the ICAO ICAN in Abuja, thereby ICAO’s support, as he also urged states to
would add to the recovery’s momentum. weaving the foreground of air transport digitally register all air services agreements
Further, “Multilateralism and the work liberalisation which is expected to create with ICAO.
embarked on here continue to be essential dozens of city-pairs and points-beyond Olumuyiwa Benerd Aliu, immediate-
to global success,” he added, “and to the in Africa from 2023. Representatives of past President of ICAO Council, enjoined
restoration of global travel, trade and Zambia at the ICAO ICAN expressed African States to make a difference with the
tourism capacity in all world regions.” excitement signing with Benin Republic, new beginning of SAATM implementation
For Africa, the event was a platform to and expect to sign with more African to interconnect African cities and stir up
deepen its liberalisation, interconnectivity states. This pervasive high-spirits Africa’s economies.
and integration of various parts of the and conviction over the benefits of
continent. It was an opportunity to harmonized air transport market SAATM PIP RIDES
enthrone SAATM-compliant Multilateral in Africa enveloped the air services ON ICAO ICAN
Air Services Agreements (MASAs) negotiation conference in Abuja. Nigeria’s On the sidelines of the ICAO ICAN 2022,
and effectively eliminate the Bilateral President, Muhammadu Buhari, assured AFCAC delivered a powerful workshop
Air Services Agreements (BASAs) that ICAO and AFCAC of Nigeria’s resolve to showcasing the thrust and benefits
are prohibitive to market access and support SAATM and Africa’s integration. of the SAATM and the SAATM Pilot
liberalisation within Africa. Hadi Sirika, Minister of Transport of Implementation Project (PIP) to African
To fast-track the achievement of SAATM Nigeria, said “we will further strengthen our and global audience and partners. Adefunke
and liberalisation in Africa, the African resolve to implement SAATM in line with Adeyemi, AFCAC’s Secretary General,
Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) AU Agenda 2063.” explained that there is a framework to

10 LUA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2023