Comesa asks Malawi to open airspace
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has lobbied Malawi to subscribe to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which compels countries to remove airspace restrictions.
Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday during a workshop Comesa organised for local civil aviation players, air transport policy and regulation expert Francis Okome said the target is to have all countries on board.
“This meeting is about creating awareness for the remaining member States to join the SAATM. We want to have a 100 percent membership,” he said.
The SAATM goal is to enhance connectivity and reduce air transport costs, thus, promoting economic growth, tourism and trade.
Meanwhile, Okome has said some countries have not ratified the agreement as they are working on their regulatory framework and improving their infrastructure.
He said: “Each member State has unique circumstances. Some of them are to do with policies or their regulatory requirements. They are also conducting studies to ensure that when they join, they have the required infrastructure and the required framework so that they are ready for this.”
Ministry of Transport and Public Works director of technical services Fegus Gondwe, who presided over the opening ceremony, indicated Malawi’s willingness to sign up to the deal.
He expressed hope that opening the airspaces would boost tourism which government has identified as a key industry for facilititating its economic growth drive.
“The benefits for Malawi are that we will have a lot of tourism. Malawi will also participate economically because now the airspaces are open and will have connectivity which will facilitate quick movement of people,” he said.
SAATM was launched in 2018 by the African Union (AU) member States and, according to Comesa, 36 countries have subscribed while 19, including Malawi, have not.
According to a recent study by the AU on the potential benefits of SAATM implementation, the continent would gain an additional $4.2 billion in gross domestic product, create 596 000 new jobs and a 27 percent reduction in fares by opening up the airspaces.
