President Paul
Kagame of Rwanda started his reign as African Union Chairperson on
Sunday by announcing the launch of a Single African Air Transport Market
(SAATM).
"Today we launch
the Single African Air Transport Market, a major step forward for
transportation. We are nearly ready to adopt the Continental Free Trade
Area. It needs to be done this year," said President Kagame in his
acceptance speech at the opening of the 30th annual African Union summit
in Addis Ababa.
Kagame told
Africa's leaders that "by committing to break down these various
barriers, we will send a tremendous signal in Africa and beyond that it
is no longer business as usual."
The Single African
Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a flagship project of the African Union
Agenda 2063, an initiative of the African Union to create a single
unified air transport market in Africa, the liberalization of civil
aviation in Africa and as an impetus to the Continent's economic
integration agenda.
Eligible airlines
of the 23 countries are, effective this season, entitled to conduct
their business into the markets and fully operate the traffic rights
provided for in the Yamoussoukro Decision.
The launch event in
Addis Ababa brought together the aviation industry in Africa and
airline manufacturers to forge ahead the effective implementation of
SAATM.
The Yamoussoukro
Decision of 1999 provides for full liberalization in terms of market
access between African States, the free exercise of traffic rights, the
elimination of restrictions on ownership and the full liberalization of
frequencies, fares and capacities.
To date, the number
of member states that have adhered to the new commitment has reached
twenty-three (23): Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Congo,
Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia,
Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa,
Swaziland, Togo and Zimbabwe.
Message for youth
In his acceptance speech, Kagame reached out to the youth of the continent.
"Elders should be
able to enjoy the pleasure, of telling you how hard they had it at your
age, so you don't take things for granted, and are inspired to work even
harder," Kagame said.
"However, too many
Africans come of age in the same conditions as their parents and
grandparents, and sometimes the hardships endured are even worse. Our
job is to make sure that every generation in Africa, enjoys a better
life than the previous one."
"We cannot build Africa without you," he concluded.
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