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Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) handbook launched
The African Union together with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African Airlines Association and the African Civil Aviation Commission, have today published the SAATM handbook.
The handbook is a guide to the origins, objectives, economic and social benefits as well as the implementation of SAATM) by the AU and its member states.
SAATM is intended to open up intra-African air travel with enhanced connectivity and African competition.
This will enable and promote growth by facilitating greater intra-African trade, transport, commerce and investment as well as the free movement of business travellers and tourists. In doing so, SAATM will underpin the AU’s Africa Continental Free Trade Area strategy and give life to its 2063 agenda.
Another goal of SAATM is to strengthen Safety and Security oversight in Africa and promote cooperation among African carriers through the formation of partnerships, mergers and consortia.
As a result, stronger African airlines will be able to compete favourably with stronger states or blocs from outside the continent. SAATM’s full implementation will create a larger market for African carriers and improved access to capital.
SAATM was officially launched in January this year and to date, 27 AU member states, representing over 80 per cent of the current aviation market in Africa, have committed to establishing the SAATM.
The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) of the YD was introduced to expedite the full implementation of the YD in order to move the continent forward towards the concrete implementation of the AU Agenda 2063.
The realization of SAATM, the flagship project of the African Union Commission, is vital to the achievement of the long-term vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa under the AU Agenda 2063.
The SAATM will bring about enhanced connectivity across the continent leading to sustainable development of the aviation and tourism industry with immense contribution to economic growth, job creation, prosperity and integration across Africa.
