The full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is set to become a major engine for job creation and economic growth across the continent, creating about 500,000 jobs.
The flagship initiative, organised by the African Union Development Agency and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), was revealed during the Luanda Summit in Luanda, Angola, with the aims of liberalising the continent’s fragmented aviation industry, which is projected to generate $4.2 billion in GDP and create an estimated 500,000 new jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors.
AUDA-NEPAD is a socio-economic development program of the African Union (AU) that aims to accelerate growth and eradicate poverty in Africa, acting as a strategic framework that focuses on key areas like agriculture, infrastructure, human development, and regional integration.
The move to a single unified air transport market will enhance connectivity, reduce travel times, and make air travel more affordable and accessible, thereby significantly boosting intra-African trade and tourism.
Since the focus shifted to accelerating SAATM, 97 new intra-African air routes were introduced in 2024 alone.
The discussions saw the attendance of dignitaries such as João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union, President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros, and other high-ranking officials, centred on transformative infrastructure and safety initiatives to spur Africa’s economic integration and development.
The broader strategy for this transformation is the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), the continent’s master plan for modern, trans-boundary infrastructure.
PIDA is a joint initiative of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and AUDA-NEPAD, aimed at providing a common framework to accelerate regional integration and boost trade.
The discussions underscored the tangible progress already made under the first phase of PIDA (2012–2020), which secured investment commitments exceeding the initial target, reaching $82 billion. The infrastructure delivered includes 16,000 km of roads, 4,000 km of railways and energy access for 30 million people.
The Summit, also the third gathering on FIDA, focused intensely on closing the continent’s infrastructure financing gap, which requires an investment of $130 billion yearly.
The next phase of PIDA aims to scale success through domestic resource mobilisation, innovative financing, and stronger global partnerships.
The key strategic projects discussed will lay the foundation for future economic prosperity and immediate, large-scale employment on the continent.
Source: Business Day
