South Africa's Minister of Transport Keynote Address to BARSA Delegates...
Newly appointed Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga’s keynote address to the Board of Airline Representative of South Africa (BARSA) delegates at the recent summit in Cape Town...?
“Aviation is a sector which has a critical symbiotic relationship with others sectors such as tourism and the services sector, which are critical economic growth, employment creation as well as the facilitation of global trade.”
The Minister reflected on the devastating impact of CV-19 on the industry and lives…
”The recovery of this sector is going to require new partnerships that not only enable faster recovery, but also give expression to the new economy premised on creating opportunities for investment, employment and skills development.??
The Aviation’s sector’s contribution on the economic recovery and growth agenda of South Africa
The establishment of aviation entities namely, an autonomous Regulator (SACAA), the Airport Management entity (ACSA) and the Air Navigation Service Provider (ATNS) set up by the State is the single most critical decision and action the South African (SA) government has taken to elevate SA as a serious aviation role player internationally. ?
Consideration of alternative energy sources
More serious conversations about a viable aviation fuel future needed. These political dynamics pit one sector against another as our airports rely on petroleum companies to refuel. Airports Company SA (ACSA) has initiated a conversation, which requires of us to seriously consider the implications of enabling ACSA to directly provide fuel to airlines and reduce dependency on petroleum companies that easily get entangled in the geo-politics due to their multi-national ownership.??
The legislative enablement for economic recovery within the transport sector
The White Paper on National Transport Policy approved by Cabinet, Gazetted May22 articulates SA’s national transport policy - deals comprehensively with Aviation Policy critical drivers.
Transport Economic Regulator (TER)
The role of the TER that will be established once the Economic Regulation of Transport Bill has been passed by Parliament, will go a long way in bolstering the competitiveness of the aviation sector. It is our national policy that the Transport Economic Regulator should assist in addressing the current challenges faced in regulating domestic air transport through introducing regulatory independence, predictability and stability. The degree of functional overlap, as well as desirability of merging the air service licensing bodies to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness is currently being looked at.?
National Airport Development
National planning and integration of airports into the broader transport network, in respect of modal integration as well as in the context of the total air transport system, need to be coordinated with the other spheres of government - Airport development to be planned holistically in accordance with a structured National Airports Development Plan, supporting national, provincial and local community objectives. This development will complement the airport system, and allow for competition within the system, to the benefit of the user. ?
Importance in maintaining our impeccable national aviation safety record
SA’s track record as a country with impeccable credentials on aviation safety, particularly in respect of commercial aviation is something we must be proud of and sustain at all costs.??
SA is a signatory to the Chicago Convention and a Council member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), we must continually do everything in our power to lead by example in ensuring and sustaining safety of our airspace.
SA will undergo a safety audit under the ICAO’s universal safety oversight audit programme from 22Mar23 - CAA is coordinating the preparations.
Aviation safety in the African Continent
Safety is the most pervasive challenge facing the aviation industry in the continent. The frequency of accidents stems largely from inconsistency in the implementation and enforcement of internationally accepted safety standards and practices. Increasing the level of safety should be a key priority for the development of the African Aviation Industry.
The African authorities have endorsed an African Union backed plan aimed at addressing deficiencies related to aviation safety and security and strengthening the regulatory framework.?Accordingly, International Air Transport Association (IATA), jointly with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other organisations have committed to supporting the Africa Strategic Improvement Action Plan of the African Union. The plan encourages African governments foster regulatory oversight through the adoption of globally accepted safety and security standards.?
Agenda 2063 and the Airports Development and Growth with the African Continent through Yamoussoukro Decision towards a Single Air Transport Market (SAATM)
Air transportation plays a pivotal role in enabling economic activity that enables growth through rapid movement of goods and people. Growth in the air transportation directly contributes to this growth through the creation of direct and indirect jobs in the industry and other auxiliary sectors, such as tourism and the services sectors.?SA has a lot to offer and tourism and other sectors have a lot to benefit when we have an effective and efficient civil aviation. Expansion in air transportation creates market opportunities for local entrepreneurs by creating regional and global economic centres.
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ACSA is a strategic national asset whose recovery is driven by its recovery strategy premised on its mandate to run airports, develop airports and grow its footprint, both in the country and elsewhere, with particular focus on the African continent.?
There are ambitious plans of pursuing a Pan-African strategy as a key pillar of our global aviation strategy, which we believe will enhance South Africa’s competitiveness in the global market, because a prosperous Africa must be based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.?
In giving expression to the Yamoussoukro Decision towards a Single Air Transport Market (SAATM) in Africa, we must pursue partnerships that will help us carve new opportunities for the development and growth of aviation in the continent.?We must pursue these partnerships to help us in developing new hubs and gateways that connect our people to all regions of the African Continent and beyond.?
SAATM PIP
The African Union Commission (AUC) commissioned the Continental Study on the Benefits of SAATM. In order to accelerate air transport liberalization, connectivity and integration in Africa, the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project (PIP) was developed. The preparedness rating was arrived at using the SAATM Enabler Index.
The SAATM Enablers Index is split into four broad classifications namely: Country Performance Indicators, Safety & Security, Infrastructure and Aviation Policies and Regulations. Each classification contains several aviation specific features and policies to measure or indicate how a State is tracking with respect to each SAATM enabler.
When assessing the level of YD implementation and the efficacy of SAATM operationalization for each State and arriving at a ‘preparedness’ rating, the SAATM Enablers Index reveals 13 SAATM States with a favourable environment for successful SAATM implementation. They are Cabo Verde, C?te d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo and Zambia. All these States (Zambia excluded) have domestic carriers eligible to participate in the SAATM. Eight of these States have also signed the Memorandum of Implementation namely - Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Togo
To fast track the Air Transport liberastion connectivity and integration in Africa, African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) launched a program called a Pilot Implementation Project (PIP) in 2022 to lead to the full implementation of the Single Air Transport Market (SAATM) - pilot project incorporates 13 African Union Member States with favourable environments to accelerate the SAATM.??
Infrastructure Challenges in the Aviation sector
The air transport industry faces various challenges including poor airport infrastructure, lack of physical and human resource, limited connectivity and lack of transit facilities.?Although substantial progress has been made during the last decade, our continent still lagging compared to other regions in terms of “soft” and “hard” infrastructure. ?
Despite increased liberalization of the African aviation industry in line with the Yamoussoukro Decision, some of our counterparts in the continent are still reluctant to open their skies to each other but have no qualms extending this courtesy to countries beyond the continent through the Open Skies and Horizontal Agreements.
It is critical that African States must honour their collective undertaking to prioritize the development of aviation in our own continent through a collaborative effort of establishing a Single Air Transport Market in Africa, with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFtA) as a critical enabling instrument that must be used to fast-track the much-needed economic growth.?
Urgent need to Upscale Skills development and training programmes
Lack of aviation experts and skills, high airport taxes and fees, the weak connectivity and restrictions on transit visas and facilities add to the menu of impediments that we can only address by working together.?
Air travel is essential to our prosperity as it opens opportunities that did not exist before. Giving impetus to the growth and development of the African aviation industry is one of the most important drivers of regional integration on the continent. ?
Better connected African countries and regions through a viable air transport industry can be the catalyst to boost intra-African business, trade, tourism as well as cultural exchange. You will agree that developing the aviation industry also represents an invaluable opportunity to mitigate chronic transport problems faced by the sixteen (16) landlocked African countries. ?
Despite these challenges, I must say that we are making progress in building transport connectivity that unlocks the value-chain of the aviation sector as a critical enabler. ?
Our plans to establish an Aviation Academy will not only position South Africa as a skills development hub for the region but will also unlock other related opportunities. ?
Such opportunities include investing in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, aerospace manufacturing capabilities and other airport operations equipment to enhance our competitiveness in the Southern Hemisphere.?
Conclusion
The deliberations of this summit will enrich our plans to grow the domestic and African aviation sector in a manner that will enable us to become trailblazers in the recovery of the sector world-wide."