Liberalisation key to air cargo growth

African Airlines have once
again been urged to remove
regulatory constraints
that hamper air cargo
development and support
the total liberalisation of
air cargo services with
implementation of the
Yamoussoukro Declaration.
Dr Elijah Chingosho,
secretary general of the
African Airlines Association,
told Xinhua news service last
week that Nigeria, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Morocco, Kenya,
South Africa, Rwanda and
Zimbabwe had already
pledged to implement it,
paving the way for other
countries to follow. The
agreement removes bilateral
restrictions on international
air trade and establishes a
single air market across the
continent.
Chingosho estimated that
full implementation of the
agreement – targeted for the
end of January 2017 – would
cover about 85% of air traffic
and could lead to a doubling
in size of the air industry
within five years.
He said that there was a
need to develop additional
cargo hubs rather than
connect African destinations
via hubs outside the
continent.
“West Africa was identified
to be in urgent need of
cargo hubs and airlines
were encouraged to use each
other’s hubs,” he said.
CAPTION
There is a need to develop additional cargo hubs rather than connect African destinations via
hubs outside the continent.