West African Countries Unite To Break Aviation Barriers With Launch Of The Single African Air Market
The newly announced Single African Air Market (SAAM) is set to dismantle long-standing barriers in Africa's aviation sector with a focus on elevating the continent's role on the global aviation stage, Travel and Tour World reports. Driven by the strong leadership of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, Cape Verde, and Gambia, this ambitious initiative seeks to create a more connected, competitive, and streamlined air travel network across Africa.
The 18th plenary session of the Banjul Accord Group (BAG) concluded in Abuja on May 22, as West African nations came together with a unified goal of improving the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). With momentum building, the rollout of SAAM is poised to transform the future of air travel across the continent.
Africa's air travel sector faces major challenges, including high costs and limited connectivity, with only 19% of the continent's 1,431 country pairs having direct air service. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), improved connectivity among just 12 key countries could create 155,000 jobs and add over $1.3 billion to GDP. Additionally, the African Union Commission (AUC) suggests that full SAATM adoption by the East African Community could generate 2.8 million more passengers, $267 million in fare savings, and contribute $590.9 million to GDP annually.
That's where SAAM steps in to close the gaps. This transformative initiative is set to lower travel costs, boost connectivity, and enable smoother air travel across Africa.
Over the three-day session in Abuja, aviation leaders reaffirmed their commitment to aligning national policies with SAATM's updated framework, working to embed its principles into regulatory systems and usher in a new era of accessible and efficient air travel across the continent. As part of the African Union's broader Agenda 2063 vision for a fully integrated and self-sustaining Africa, SAATM aims to break down travel barriers and offer airlines greater freedom to operate across borders, serving as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth.
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