Speaking at the 57th session of the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa on March 15, 2025, Abderahmane Berthé, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), emphasized the need for enhanced financial access for African airlines.
According to logupdateafrica.com, he highlighted how better funding mechanisms could strengthen cargo connectivity across the continent, boosting trade and economic growth.
The theme of the panel was – The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the free movement of people and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), according to a release from AFRAA. “Belly freight is a crucial component of the air cargo industry, providing a cost-effective way to transport goods alongside passengers.
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Therefore, enhancing connectivity with SAATM will positively affect air cargo flows. “In Africa, the biggest challenge is the high expenses, including cargo handling fees, fuel costs, and freight taxes, making transporting lower-value products unprofitable.
Half of Africa’s airports lack adequate cargo infrastructure for handling perishable goods. The recent growth of cargo freight for cut flowers, vegetables, fresh fruits, and seafood necessitates investment in cold cargo facilities. The high cost of cargo operations makes it difficult to develop e-commerce, which is a trending opportunity for Africa.”
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Berthé says: “At AFRAA, we have a cargo committee to enhance airlines’ cooperation. It is critical to create cargo connectivity through airlines’s cooperation. Airlines need data-driven decisions. We are ready and willing to work with the AfCFTA secretariat to develop African cargo routes.”
Berthé also spoke about what needs to be done to improve air connectivity and reduce the cost of air transport in Africa. From the perspective of African airlines, several factors need to be addressed to improve air connectivity and reduce the cost of air transport in Africa:
*Facilitate market access through traffic rights and people’s mobility.
*Commercial cooperation of African airlines and consolidation.
*Reducing the cost of operations and taxes and charges.
*Improving ground, flight and maintenance efficiencies in airlines to improve performance.
*Facilitate airlines’s access to financing to optimise their fleet and network; and *Promoting intra-Africa tourism and trade to support the air transport business in developing the traffic.
