May 13 , 2023
Africa accounts for one percent of the global air service market, despite 23 years since the Yamoussoukro Decision that called for full liberalization of intra-African air transport services regarding access, capacity, frequency, and tariffs. Lack of infrastructure, preference to use foreign airlines and exorbitant taxation were revealed to be the leading causes of inflated ticket costs in the continent. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Bekele, Minister of Transport & Logistics Alemu Sime (PhD) and Secretary General of AFCAC Adefunke Adeyemi gathered at the newly expanded Skylight Hotel to discuss the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Ethiopia is expected to spearhead the effort towards liberalisation. Full liberalisation is implied as carrying the promise of 4.2 billion dollars in annual GDP growth and creating 60,000 jobs. The secretary general of AFCAC indicated that the market was big enough for everyone allaying fears of encroachment into each other's market share by airlines.