Addis Ababa, 17 October 2017: Experts of States of the Ministerial Working Group on the establishment of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a key African Union Agenda 2063 flagship project, convened from 16 to 18 October 2017 at the Headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ahead of the SAATM launch, scheduled for January 2018 on the sidelines of the African Union Summit.

Speaking during the opening session, Mr. David Kajange, Head of Transport and Tourism Division at the Department of Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission, stated the main objective of the meeting, which is to discuss and report on the implementation of the immediate measures recommended for operationalizing the SAATM.

“The outcome of this meeting will constitute the report to be submitted to the Ministerial Working Group, indicating the degree of preparedness for the launching,” Mr. Kajange opined.
On his part, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) representative Mr. Peter Amaleboba, informed the meeting that AFCAC has established a work programme and a budget for activities of the Executing Agency and is working hard with the AUC for mobilisation of the necessary funding, to enable the Executing Agency carry out its functions.

The Monitoring Body of the Yamoussoukro Decision has been convened to deliberate on the guidelines for the negotiations of air services agreement with third countries. The members of the Monitoring Body are the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the African Airline Association (AFRAA), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

The Member States presented their reports on action taken to open the skies through the implementation of the immediate measures. The Member States emphasised the need for the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs to consider the Institutional and Regulatory Texts of the Yamoussoukro Decision. The AUC also presented a concept note on the launching of the SAATM which received comments from Member States.

Chaired by the Republic of Congo, the Chairperson Mr. Moussouanga Georges Magloire expressed his appreciation for the enthusiasm expressed by all the member States to see the market launched at the AU Summit in January and support offered by the Regional Economic Communities.

The meeting was attended by participants from 10 Member States that have signed the Solemn Commitment; African Union Commission; African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC); Regional Economic Communities (RECs); Members of the Monitoring Body of the Yamoussoukro Decision; NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency (NPCA); African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and other Partners.

NOTES TO THE EDITORS

The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063, an initiative of the African Union to create a single unified air transport market in Africa, the liberalisation of civil aviation in Africa and as an impetus to the Continent’s economic integration agenda.

During the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the OAU/AU in 2013, the African Union (AU) leadership expressed the desire to give a stronger and more ambitious impetus to the Continent’s socio-economic development and integration agenda.

On that occasion, the AU Agenda 2063 was elaborated in which some flagship projects were selected and included on the basis of their high potential for changing the face of Africa substantively in that duration. Among these projects are the creation of a Single African Air Transport Market and the African Passport.

In order to move the continent forward towards the concrete implementation of the AU Agenda 2063, the 24th Assembly of Head of States and Government, which took place on 30th and 31st January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted the Declaration on the Establishment of a Single African Air Transport Market; Decision on the Development of the AU Agenda 2063; and also issued a commitment to the immediate implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision towards the establishment of a single African air transport market by 2017.