African Leaders Renew Push For Borderless Aviation Market At SAATM Convention In Lome

 

 

African leaders, aviation regulators and industry stakeholders have renewed calls for the full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), as efforts to create a seamless and interconnected aviation sector across the continent took centre stage at the inaugural Air Transport Convention in Lome, Togo.

The convention brought together key figures in Africa’s political and aviation landscape, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Funke Adeyemi, underscoring growing political backing for the removal of barriers that continue to restrict air connectivity across Africa.

 

 

Opening discussions at the convention, officials of the African Civil Aviation Commission reiterated the importance of fully implementing SAATM, describing it as a key driver of trade, tourism, investment and regional integration.

Speakers noted that although the initiative has recorded significant progress over the past seven years, its origins date back to the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999, which laid the groundwork for the liberalisation of Africa’s air transport market.

 

 

Former President Obasanjo called on African leaders to move beyond declarations and commitments, urging them to take concrete steps to unlock the vast economic opportunities offered by a unified air transport system.

Speaking in French, President Gnassingbé stressed the need to accelerate the continent’s air transport integration, saying Africa’s connectivity ambitions have not kept pace with the expectations of its citizens and businesses.

 

 

“For too long, the promise of connectivity has moved more slowly than the aspirations of African citizens and businesses,” he said. “Yet we know what is possible. We know that when airlines improve, markets expand. When mobility is eased, tourism grows.”

 

 

Adeyemi said the convention is anchored on the vision of SAATM and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, reflecting a collective commitment by African countries to deepen collaboration, promote innovation and accelerate the transformation of the aviation sector.

 

 

According to her, the gathering provides an opportunity for stakeholders to develop a shared roadmap towards a more connected, competitive and modern air transport industry capable of unlocking Africa’s economic potential and advancing regional integration.

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