53rd AFRAA AGA: African govt. urged to remove restrictions, allow aviation to facilitate recovery of Africa’s economy
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A fervent appeal has been sent to all the governments in each African state to ensure with all intent and purposes that the restrictions imposed on their borders and markets are removed for the restart of air transport in Africa to be meaningful and for the economies of the 55 sovereign states to be positively impacted.
The appeal was part of the very strong three resolutions made from the deliberations at the 53rd Annual General Assembly, AGA, of the African Airlines Association, AFRAA, held in Kenya from 16th -18th November 2021.
The assembly in its resolution further recommended that the border reopening should be done in a harmonized manner in order to influence the efficient restart of African aviation while the governments should avail themselves of Industry Restart Plan Standards and guidance documentation.
The “Assembly further called upon African governments to accelerate the rapid roll-out of vaccines across the continent and embrace the use of digital technology health platforms to facilitate the restart of economies and air transport”.
Another major issue in the three points resolution was the challenge of operating capital by African airlines. The assembly claimed that it fully recognized the importance of financial support for the recovery of the air transport industry hence, “the Assembly called upon African governments to extend the much-needed financial support and relief to African airlines and the African aviation industry at large.
The 53rd AGA resolved on the imperative of an exhaustive stakeholders’ parley on the sustainability of African airlines which was the third resolution. The assembly affirmed that the stakeholders’ forum which it described as “Lab concept approach”, will be such that would assemble “all relevant stakeholders as a transformation opportunity for the economic development of air transport in Africa
According to the media statement issued at the end of the Annual General Assembly, the event is scheduled to hold towards the end of the first quarter of 2022.
The statement said, AFRAA Secretariat in cooperation with the African Union Commission, AUC, the African Civil Aviation Commission, AFCAC, and the African Aviation Industry Group, AAIG, shall convene the broader stakeholders’ forum, March 2022.
At the Press Conference which signified the end of the 53rd Annual General Assembly, AGA deliberations, the Secretary-General, Mr Abdérahmane Berthé, appealed to the head of government of African nations to support the $25million palliative fund launched June 2020 to support ailing airlines.
The AFRAA President, MR. RUI CARREIRA, CEO Of TAAG Angola national airline, at the Press Conference urged African airlines to brace up to the opportunities, post COVI-19 will create for virile African Airlines.
He said the markets would react differently to the aftermath of the pandemic, hence he advised that partnership, collaboration would inspire a quick and customized response to the needs of any given markets in the continent.
Another major highlight of the 53rd AFRAA, AGA was the election of Mr Ibrahima Kane, Chief Executive Officer – Air Senegal as the President of the Association for the year 2022.
Another high point of the 53rd assembly was the re-election of Capt. Pascal Kasongo Mwema, Chief Executive of Congo Airways, Ms Yvonne Makolo, Chief Executive of RwandAir and Mr Mohamed Khalifa Biyah, CEO of Mauritania Airlines, as the Chairman, 1st and 2nd Vice Chairmen for the year 2022 respectively.
According to the new President of AFRAA, Mr Ibrahima Kane, Senegal is already roaring and ready to host the 54th AGA which will be held in November 2022 in Dakar – Senegal
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