ICAO urges African states to renew commitments to sustainable air transport devt.

Dr Bernard Aliu, the President of Council, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has urged African states to promptly address their air transport liberalisation and infrastructure development priorities.

The call is in a statement by Anthony Philbin, the ICAO Chief of Communications on Thursday in Abuja.

Philbin stated that Aliu made the call at the just concluded Second ICAO Meeting on Sustainable Development of Air Transport in Africa held in Accra, Ghana.

Aliu said that the slow implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision resulted in reduced African air transport connectivity and competitiveness.

He further called for related priorities under the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and the need for the creation of a Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

The ICAO boss disclosed that the short-term need for aviation infrastructure development in Africa was a “formidable challenge”.

He encouraged African states to take pragmatic measures to build a transparent, stable and predictable investment climate to support aviation development and to integrate aviation development planning into their national development plans.

He said “the rapid growth of air traffic will put more pressure on existing aviation capacity, and it is currently projected that no fewer than 24 airports in Africa will be saturated by 2020.

“ICAO will continue to play leadership role in ensuring that aviation growth brings greater socio-economic benefits to Africa, its citizens, states, industries and economies at large.

“We have taken great strides in cooperating more successfully in a number of air transport domains.

“By continuing to work together, through ICAO, even greater growth and prosperity await the African continent in the years ahead.”