by Antoine Lawson, Gabon, October 1999
THEME = TRANSPORT
The easing of restrictions in air transport
throughout Africa,
brings with it a number of complicated
difficulties
West and Central African States want to approve a joint reform of air transport. But a number of negative factors on a worldwide level are combining to prevent the project. Air transport specialists are all too-aware of Africa's problems in this area, but say they can turn the situation around. It's all a matter of being convinced that Africa must somehow survive in today's world, where all the emphasis is on opening up world markets, and of globalisation.
According to Idriss Ngari, Gabon's Minister of Transport and Maritime Commerce, Africa, today, is facing three main challenges. The necessity of: Updating its air traffic control installations and other systems; revitalising its airlines to make them more competitive; renewing its aircraft so they can cope with an increase in business and the opening up of air transport.
This kind of reform has been on the books for a number of years, as the air transport authorities have been all too aware of the regional network's inefficiency. Air transport charges are among the highest in the world because of excessively high running costs (fuel, maintenance and especially insurance).
Moreover, the number of aircrew available is insufficient. Aircrew frequently have to be trained "on the job" and even when qualified, can't do much to improve their training. Adama Coulibaly is Côte d'Ivoire's Transport Minister and also chairman of the Yaounde Treaty's Committee of Ministers for Civil Aviation. He regrets to note that there are far too many African Airlines all competing against each other. In this situation, "how can they possibly be viable and efficient?". This leads to management problems, an ageing air fleet, loss of market opportunities, increasing running costs which can't be met, and finally, bankruptcy with all its dramatic consequences. Because of what's happening, Transport Ministers from those countries concerned, have been holding frequent meetings in an attempt to rectify the situation. They've been targeting existing statutory structures, such as the Yamoussoukro Declaration and the Yaounde Treaty, so as to move towards a more open policy regarding air transport. The intention is to develop the airways network, make it safer, more efficient, more reliable and better adapted to local needs and conditions.
A meeting was held in Libreville, Gabon, 13-14 October 1999, on the easing of restrictions vis à vis air transport. The aim was to find a continental solution to a continental problem. Recommendations were made regarding ways and means of integrating Central and West African airspaces, and making them more dynamic and competitive. Mr. Ngari commended the initiative taken by Adama Coulibaly who had requested the World Bank and other international agencies for help in the search for a lasting solution of Africa's air transport problems.
The World Bank president had already accepted to guarantee a reform project presented by Côte d'Ivoire concerning air transport in West and Central Africa. An appropriate structure was set up in January 1999, in Abidjan, by establishing a committee which brought together seven West and Central African States (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Senegal and Chad) as well as the World Bank, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, specialised air transport and financial institutions, including the African Development Bank. Because of the committee's remarkable efforts, the World Bank gave Côte d'Ivoire $227,000 to organise the Libreville meeting.
Mr. Coulibaly underlined that "the air transport situation in Africa denotes our economic and technological backwardness issuing from colonisation. Africa holds a modest, if not hidden, place in the international air transport industry. North America ranks first with 36% of regular air services; then comes Europe with 28%; Asia and the Pacific 26%; the Caribbean 5%; Africa 2%."
Safety problems are increasingly slowing down Africa's air transport development. African countries are faced with famine, debt, illiteracy and misery, so in no way can they inject their meagre resources into raising civil aviation standards. "Yet, in our days", commented Adama Coulibaly, "air transport is THE way of getting goods and people around. We save time, the world becomes a smaller place, and our countries' economies can develop - all thanks to a viable and successful air transport system".
"Mergers are increasingly becoming the order of the day throughout the world. This means an efficient air transport structure becomes ever-more necessary. International civil aviation is experiencing radical changes everywhere", says Christopher Tourtellot of the United States Transport Ministry. According to him, easing restrictions in the air transport industry would offer opportunities to develop air transport and subsequently the economy of African countries.
The Libreville meeting gave rise to a number of salient points. In particular, it was recognised that clarification regarding the essential features of any reform programme, needed to be made. Reference was made to other countries' experiences. For example, what is presently taking place within the European Union and the United States where airlines are constantly merging. The representative of Bolivia's Minister of Transport described the "Bolivian experience". He said that in his country, reforms of airport management and privatisation of the national airways were all part of a global policy to disengage the country from sectors of industry traditionally considered to be "strategic".
Maryvonne Plessis-Fraissard, the World Bank's representative and the World Bank's Technical Director for Africa, agreed that in the near future, the easing of restrictions regarding air transport will become an established fact throughout Africa. A fresh look at the Yamoussoukro Declaration must take this into account, although it's still not absolutely clear how to achieve this liberalisation policy.
Amadou Guitteye represented the Africa and Madagascar Air Traffic Controllers Agency (ASECNA) at the meeting. He insisted on safety in airports and called for more regional integration of Africa's airspaces.
"In this day and age, no airline, however powerful it may be, can make it alone", stressed Adama Coulibaly. "There's need to co-operate, to unite, to set up huge geographical groupings, economically integrated and capable of making a workable, viable market for developing Africa's air transport industry".
Maryvonne Plessis-Fraissard puts it this way: "I believe that this meeting was very necessary. Everyone's talking about "Need for reform". Why? For two very good reasons: First: It's vital for Africa to take part in the global world economy. But if this movement of "togetherness" is made just between two companies, then any profits made will only benefit these companies, instead of everyone profiting. Secondly: If we do nothing, then any reform will take place in conditions unfavourable to regional partners".
Originally, the request for help from the World Bank came from those countries which had signed the Yamoussoukro Declaration, because they had specific problems. Then, other regional partners felt they had something to say, and the World Bank invited them to the Libreville meeting so they would know what was happening. Already this group of countries is opening up, and in the near future will include the whole of Africa. One doesn't refer any longer to "Yamoussoukro Declaration signatories" but rather to a region with "common economic and social interests in an ever-widening partnership". The World Bank is not intent on enforcing this onto anyone, nor in limiting the number of participants, because it is quite in order for all interested neighbours to join in, if they wish.
The World Bank wants to make Africa's air transport project, acceptable. "It's such a complicated situation, that no one can say, "I've got an answer"", says Plessis- Fraissard. "But we're willing to be the catalysts when it comes to the reform programme. We're also willing to give all the necessary assurance to the different partners in the ongoing deliberations".
Maybe the air transport picture in West and Central Africa is somewhat gloomy; the future will hopefully prove brighter.
END