Page 17 - LUA March-April 2025
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“Kenya Association of Air Operators towards more automated customs
(KAAO) members are investing in procedures would make trade flow much
improved logistics solutions, including faster. For AfCFTA to reach its full
enhanced cold chain facilities and potential, consistency in implementation
cargo handling infrastructure,” says Liz across all member states will be key,” says
Aluvanze, CEO, KAAO. Goedhart of Rhenus Logistic.
The KAAO is a registered national Highlighting the challenges posed
umbrella body tasked with promoting, by the AfCFTA to KAAO members,
supporting, enhancing, and protecting Aluvanze of KAAO says, “AfCFTA holds
the interests of aviation industry significant promise for African aviation,
stakeholders and allied businesses in Trade across Africa but several structural barriers continue
Kenya, Africa. isn’t one-size-fits- to hinder progress. One major challenge
all, and that’s where is the slow implementation of the Single
AFCFTA: CONFRONTING African Air Transport Market (SAATM),
LOGISTICS CHALLENGES having deep local which was introduced in 2018 to create
The AfCFTA promises to revolutionise expertise makes a a unified African air transport market.
intra-African trade, but its success difference. We work However, only 35 out of 54 countries
largely depends on addressing the have signed up, and enforcement
continent's complex logistics landscape. closely with our remains weak due to protectionist
“The vision behind AfCFTA is teams on the ground policies and national interests overriding
exciting, but there are still hurdles to and local authorities regional cooperation. Without full
overcome. Different countries have SAATM implementation, KAAO
varying customs, rules, and trade to stay up to date members face restricted access to key
policies, which can slow things down. with changing African markets.
Infrastructure gaps in some regions also regulations. Another barrier is the reliance
pose challenges for smooth logistics on restrictive Bilateral Air Service
operations. Another big factor is DIRK GOEDHART Agreements (BASAs) that limit
digitalisation: many processes still rely RHENUS LOGISTICS competition and route expansion. Some
on manual paperwork, and moving African countries impose high landing
The latest Rhenus warehouse in
Meadowview, Johannesburg
MARCH - APRIL 2025 LUA 15
