Somalia is the first country to host the sensitization and awareness workshops in the COMESA region towards the operationalize the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The workshop kicked-off in Mogadishu, Sunday 18 June 2023, organized by COMESA under the programme on Support for Air Transport Sector Development (SATSD) in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Region (EA-SA-IO). Participants are drawn from the following ministries in Somalia: Transport and civil aviation, livestock, forestry and range, trade, information, culture and tourism and ministry of finance. The Somalia Civil Aviation Authority, and other Aviation related stakeholders are participating. The two-day workshop was opened by Mudane Ahmed Jama Omar the Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation at the Decale Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia. The SATSD is an eight million euros programme funded by the European Union. COMESA through the Support for Air Transport Sector Development (SATSD) in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Region (EA-SA-IO) has commenced sensitization and awareness workshops in the Member states to operationalize the Single African Air Transport Market ( SAATM) with Somalia being the first Country. In his statement, Mr Jama Omar stressed that to operationalize the Single African Air Transport Market there is need to establish enabling legal and institutional frameworks at the continental, regional and national levels and enabling infrastructure that will ensure safe, effective and efficient air transport systems. ‘We all know that the purpose of this workshop is to create awareness of the existence of SAATM and underscore its benefits to the people and the Federal republic of Somalia, the outcome is therefore very clear in our minds and whatever emanates from this workshop will clearly guide us and strengthen our resolve as a State to actively participate in the continental agenda for the benefit of our generation and the generations to come,’ The Deputy Minister said. Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe in stated that While many air transport markets outside of Africa have been liberalized to a significant extent, most intra-African air transport markets remain largely closed. This she said has affected air connectivity within Africa as air travel costs remain prohibitive and continued to limit the potential for economic growth and development in our region. Calling on Somalia to join the SAATM, the Secretary General said that the SAATM provides for the full liberalisation of intra-African air transport services in terms of market access, traffic rights for scheduled and freight air services by eligible airlines thereby improving air services connectivity and air carrier efficiencies. The SAATM also removes restrictions on ownership and provides for the full liberalisation of frequencies, tariffs and capacity and also provides eligibility criteria for African community carriers, safety and security standards, mechanisms for fair competition and dispute settlement as well as consumer protection. ‘In the next two days, we will review the implementation of YD, challenges experienced since its initiation in 1988 and the lessons learnt. We will also demonstrate that based on the experiences, adequate measures have been put in place to operationalise the SAATM, Ms Kapwepwe said in a statement read by Francis Okome.

Source: Somali National News Agency