African Aviation Must Implement Yamoussoukro Decision Now

Namibia could add more than 10 000 jobs and N$1 billion to its gross domestic product if African countries were to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision to liberalize its aviation industry.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) published a report setting out the considerable social and economic benefits of intra-African air service liberalization.

The report, by the experienced independent economic consultants InterVISTAS, outlines the benefits that would accrue if 12 African nations were to implement the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision. The 12 nations in the report are: Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.  The Yamoussoukro Decision committed 44 signatory countries to deregulating air services and to opening regional air markets to transnational competition. The implementation of this agreement, however, has been slow, and the benefits have not been realized.