Airports

Although countries in Africa vary widely in their needs in the air transport sector, air safety and security concerns remain general constraints to growth in many countries – infrastructure is not at the heart of the problem.  Africa’s share of the world air traffic is only 4.5 %, but its share of accidents was 25% in 2005. The safety problem is more one of pilot capability, safety administration and air traffic facilities. 

Making Africa’s airports and airlines safe is a big issue.  In 2006, the European Union announced an aircraft ‘black list’, banning 74 African airlines (from an international list of 91) from landing at European airports, after declaring them unsafe against international standards.  In an important effort to improve performance, the African Civil Aviation Agency was set up in 2007 specifically to improve safety in the industry.

Just as many of Africa’s roads and railway do not encourage cross-border trade, national air carriers too have largely failed to adequately connect the continent’s main cities.  African countries have been pursuing liberalisation of intra-African air transport as stipulated in the AU’s Yamoussoukro Declaration since 1999 but, despite repeated attempts, progress with implementation has been slow because of the desire to protect individual country interests.  While the Yamoussoukro Declaration is far from being implemented, the kind of cross-border competition that had previously been envisaged for the continent will not take off.

African airlines are modernising their fleets.  At the end of 2007, there were around 150 aircraft on order for African airlines, the highest figure for many years.  This is partly the result of a desire to meet increasingly stiff international safety regulations. New aircraft, a rise in low cost airlines flying to the continent, and the launch of new services will help to create a more comprehensive network of air travel across Africa.