African Union (AU) has launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative in order to open up its continental airspace and enhance intra-African air connectivity.

Selected airlines from 23 African countries will be able to conduct their business under SAATM and can fully operate the traffic rights provided through the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision.

A flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063, SAATM primarily seeks to establish a single unified air transport market in Africa and the liberalisation of civil aviation in the continent, as well as help it to achieve its economic integration agenda.

“The SAATM has the potential for remarkable transformation that will build prosperity while connecting the African continent.”

AU adopted the declaration on the creation of SAATM as a flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063 during its assembly held in 2015.

Welcoming the launch, International Air Transport Association (IATA) Africa vice-president Rapahel Kuuchi said: “The SAATM has the potential for remarkable transformation that will build prosperity while connecting the African continent.

“Every open-air service arrangement has boosted traffic, lifted economies and created jobs. And we expect no less in Africa on the back of the SAATM agreement.

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“An IATA survey suggests that if just 12 key African countries opened their markets and increased connectivity an extra 155,000 jobs and $1.3bn in annual GDP would be created in those countries.”

According to AU, 11 of its member states have already committed to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision that offers full liberalisation in terms of market access between African states, free exercise of traffic rights, removal of ownership restrictions, as well as full liberalisation of frequencies, fares and capacities.