SA throws its weight behind open skies policy

The Department of
Transport (DoT)
is about to finalise
work on its revised
Air Transport Strategy
2015/2016 to 2019/2020
with the respective
amendment bills to be
submitted to Cabinet by
early next year, according to
the Minister of Transport,
Dipuo Peters.
She said this would
complement the 2006
Airlift Strategy which was
implemented to increase
the air transport sector’s
contribution to the economy
by increasing regional and
international air links.
“In particular, the strategy
recognises the adoption
and implementation
of the key principles
of the Yamoussoukro
Decision (YD) on the
African continent and the
regulation of
international
markets
through the
Bilateral
Air Services
systems,”
Peters said.
She
welcomed
moves by
the African
Airlines
Association
(Afraa) to
formally implement the
Yamoussoukro Decision by
January 2017, which, if the
commitment was followed
through, would result in
about 85% of the continent’s
carriers collaborating on
routes and integrating
growth strategies.
Peters said that she was
“encouraged”
that at least
half of the
26 member
states of the
Tripartite
Alliance
– formed
between
three trade
blocs: the
East African
Community,
the Southern
African
Development Community
(SADC) and
the Common Market for
Eastern and Southern Africa
(Comesa) – had committed
to liberalised skies by next
year.
“South Africa fully
supports the common
continental position on
liberalisation, as well as the
principle of an open market
on the continent for African
operators,” commented
Peters.
International transport
logistics expert and
chairman of Africa Atlantic
Holdings, Issa Baluch,
pointed out recently that
if just 12 African carriers
opened their skies for one
month, air rates would drop
by one third.
He also pointed out that
those who committed to
implementing the YD could
see their gross domestic
product (GDP) growing by
“millions of dollars”.
INSERT & CAPTION
The strategy recognises
the adoption of the
key principles of
the Yamoussoukro
Decision.
– Dipuo Peters