Africa poised for further growth

Last year African
airlines recorded their best
growth performance since
2012, up 7.4%, with further
growth expected for this year
if the air cargo industry can
improve its competitiveness
and manage the global
headwinds
“The most significant
headwind is stagnant world
trade which also faces
the risk of protectionist
measures. Governments
must not forget that trade is a
powerful tool for growth and
prosperity,” said Alexandre de
Juniac, director general and
CEO of the International Air
Transport Association (Iata).
He pointed out that
Africa’s growth was being
underpinned by strong
demand on routes to/from
Asia and the Middle East.
The continent’s carriers
also registered the second
fastest growth in year-onyear
freight volumes, up
13.6% in December 2016
with a capacity increase of
5.3%.
This contributed to an
annual growth in freight
demand of 3.1% in 2016,
down from 4.5% in 2015.