Director Veronica Nduva of EAC urges the bloc to liberalize airspace in order to reduce travel expenses

The East African Community has initiated legislation to promote the liberalization of air transport, therefore accelerating the overall effort to decrease the expenses associated with this mode of transportation within the region.

The regulations outlining the methods for utilizing airfare, packing fees, and other charges imposed by airlines will be presented to the 19th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communication and Meteorology (TCM) for approval, scheduled for next month.

Air carriers in East Africa, including Kenya Airways, Ugandan Airlines, Air Tanzania, and RwandAir, occasionally impose prices as high as $800 for a round trip ticket between Kigali and Zanzibar. This need to be significantly lower.

The current fare for a one-way return flight from Kigali to Zanzibar is $380, while for a round trip it is $562.

The suggested standards aim to decrease airfares, optimize connecting aircraft schedules, and facilitate the transportation of people and goods throughout the region.

Veronica Nduva, the Secretary-General of the East African Community (EAC), said The EastAfrican that aviation services in the region will be liberalized if approved. Following this, the partner governments will engage in negotiations for multilateral air service agreements.

In the absence of a comprehensive airspace policy, African nations have been depending on bilateral air services agreements, which in turn pose the difficulties of engaging in numerous discussions with several countries.

“The regional liberalization of air transport operations is anticipated to result in reduced fares, enhanced connectivity, increased demand for air travel and cargo, and ultimately facilitate the growth of air transport capacities in the region,” stated Ms. Nduva.

The East African business sector has expressed worries about the extensive time required to establish connections between the capitals of East African Community (EAC) partner states, which is equivalent to the period of a flight to Australia.

Dennis Karera, vice-chairperson of the East African Business Council, stated that he had previously spent 24 hours travelling from Kigali to Zanzibar, but within the same time frame, he would have been able to go from Arusha to Australia.

In 2015, the heads of state asked us to deliver a research on the phenomenon of airspace opening. However, even after a decade, we are still engaged in ongoing discussions of this topic. It is imperative that we return this matter to the highest level and make an effort to accomplish resolution.

Regulatory liberalization has the potential to provide additional flight paths and increase the frequency of flights, therefore reducing the overall duration of air travel between cities.

An underlying factor contributing to the high cost and inconvenience of air travel in the East African Community (EAC) and other parts of Africa is the lack of ratification and implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) by African countries.

The SAATM, a focal initiative of the AU Agenda 2063, aims to establish a unified air transport market in Africa to promote the liberalisation of civil aviation throughout the continent.

The establishment of the SAATM was intended to accelerate the complete execution of the Yamoussoukro Decision, which calls for the liberalization of both scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services in Africa. The objective is to eliminate limitations on traffic rights, capacity, and frequency between pairs of cities.

Overriding any multilateral or bilateral agreements on air services between state parties, this agreement prioritises internal market liberalisation and fair competition as fundamental development objectives, while also tackling safety, security, and environmental issues.

According to Ms. Nduva, the partner nations of the East African Community (EAC) have made a firm commitment to completely enforce the Single Airway Traffic Management (SAATM) as outlined in the Common Market Protocol. This commitment is in accordance with the continuous efforts of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) to actualize the SAATM throughout the African continent.

Three partner governments of the East African Community (EAC), namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Rwanda, have become members of the SAATM. “The remaining partner states have pledged to complete national consultations for membership by December 2024,” stated the EAC spokesman.

Tanzania has previously halted the ratification process and has requested over five years to complete it.

Uganda’s hesitance to participate has been influenced by a desire to protect its domestic airline from outside competition. However, Kampala altered its position early this year and is now eager to finalise the signing of the SAATM “later in the year.” According to authorities, Uganda is set to become a member of the open skies regime in the upcoming fiscal year.

“The only remaining task is to obtain approval from the Cabinet.” “Once that task is completed, we will be fully prepared to proceed,” stated Fred Bamwesigye, the director-general of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCCA), during a meeting in Kampala earlier this year.

Thus far, the SAATM has garnered the participation of 34 countries, which collectively account for more than 80 percent of the aviation industry in Africa.

Uganda intends to enhance the Entebbe Airport and construct facilities, at the Kabalega International Airport, to accommodate the increased traffic arising from the liberalisation.

Tanzania, in contrast, has been increasing the size of its fleet.

Implementing liberalisation would result in higher levels of aviation service and reduced fares, therefore promoting more traffic volumes and facilitating various sectors of the economy such as tourism, trade, and investment.

Ethiopia’s commitment to reciprocal liberalisation has played a significant role in Ethiopian Airlines developing into the largest and most lucrative airline in Africa.

Research indicates that Ethiopians see a reduction of 10-21 percent in fares and an increase of 35-38 percent in frequency on liberal intra-African routes, as opposed to limited routes.