The recent payment of the foreign airlines’ trapped funds amounting to $831 million by the Nigerian government has restored the lost confidence by international community to the country.
This was declared by the President of International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General for Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Kamil Al-Awadhi during his opening address at the IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference inJohannesburg’ South Africa.
The IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference, themed “Towards a More Resilient and Sustainable African Aviation,” which serves as a premier industry event in Africa had in attendance aviation leaders, regulators, and subject matter experts who used the event to discuss key challenges and opportunities in the air transport secto
While highlighting the negative impacts of trapped funds on foreign airlines in various countries and applauded Nigeria for its effective resolution of the issue, Al-Awadhi emphasized how Nigeria’s payment of the trapped funds received widespread applause from participants including top government officials, airline representatives, air navigation service providers, international and regional associations, aircraft manufacturers, and other stakeholders who were at the event.
Meantime, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has hammered on the critical role of African Foreign Affairs Ministers in the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Speaking during the plenary discussion at the IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference in Johannesburg’ South Africa, Keyamo advocated for the inclusion of Foreign Affairs Ministers in driving the full operationalization of these initiatives.
According to him, since the ministers are responsible for setting the agenda for the African Union (AU) Summit, it is essential for them to prioritize the YD and SAATM to ensure political decisions are made to overcome existing challenges.
His words: “To make SAATM work, it is not solely up to African Civil Aviation Ministers. We need to mobilize the African Union to remove domestic restrictions, as political leaders in Africa have the authority to direct their ministers on the way forward”.
Keyamo’s recommendation was acknowledged by the conference participants as a strategic approach to achieving successful implementation and growth of civil aviation across Africa.