Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM)

Aim

Recognising the importance of aviation in achieving the AU vision of an integrated continent, in January 2015 the African Union Assembly adopted the Declaration on the establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as well as the Solemn Commitment towards advancing concrete and unconditional implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision.

Progress to-date

• Subsequently, the African Union Assembly officially launched SAATM in January 2018 during its 30th Ordinary Summit Session;

• 29 AU Member States covering almost 80% of intra-African air traffic have signed the Solemn Commitment to establishment the SAATM;

• 18 AU Member States have signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) to ensure the removal of any air service agreement restrictions that are not in compliance with the Yamoussoukro Decision;

• 10 out of the 29 SAATM States have implemented all the SAATM concrete measures required by AFCAC. Furthermore, 10 Member States have signed new bilateral air services agreements that are compliant with the Yamoussoukro Decision. 

Challenges

• Inadequate financial resources to enable the executing agency to become operational;

• Slow pace of Member States in subscribing to the Solemn Commitment.

Next Steps

• Strengthen advocacy efforts under the leadership of the SAATM champion to achieve a target of 40 Member States;

• Work out modalities for regional champions to add impetus to advocacy efforts at RECs level;

• Finalise the Dispute Settlement Mechanism for the SAATM - for adoption and dissemination;

• Speed up the elaboration of the aviation infrastructure masterplan (airports, navigation facilities, etc.) with priority projects to be included in the second phase of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa-Priority Action Plan (PIDA-PAP).