Open Skies for Africa by Charles E. Schlumberger

Author:Charles E. Schlumberger [Schlumberger, Charles E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8213-8205-9
Publisher: THE WORLD BANK
Published: 2010-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Conclusion

The Yamoussoukro Decision explicitly encourages subregional and regional organizations to pursue and intensify their efforts to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision (UNECA 2004, Article 12.2). It does so because Africa is a fragmented continent with heterogeneous economic and political organizations. Expecting full and harmonious application of the mechanism of the Yamoussoukro Decision and liberalization of air services in all Yamoussoukro Decision party states two years after the decision came into force was probably excessively optimistic. A better strategy is to encourage the various subregional and regional organizations that are involved in air transportation to begin implementing the steps of the Yamoussoukro Decision, while at the same time pan-African efforts are driven by the African Union. The underlying idea clearly seems to be to reach a situation where many RECs have applied the Yamoussoukro Decision and then start to agree on liberalizing air traffic between them. This last step would eventually complete full continent-wide implementation.

When one reviews the different regions, a fairly heterogeneous picture appears. The Arab states of North Africa have not begun liberalizing air services among themselves, even though certain instruments, such as the Arab League Open-Skies Agreement, exist. Morocco, the only North African country that is not a Yamoussoukro Decision party state, is the most active nation with respect to liberalizing and expanding its air services, as it has signed an open skies agreement with the EU and has acquired controlling stakes in two African air carriers.

In West Africa, the overarching organization, ECOWAS, has been unable to take any significant steps toward liberalizing air services. However, the smaller REC, WAEMU, went even beyond the principles of the Yamoussoukro Decision when it agreed to an EU model that includes cabotage rights. Finally, BAG has agreed to a multilateral air service agreement that establishes a liberalized regime that is fully compatible with the Yamoussoukro Decision.

In Central Africa, CEMAC has implemented all the necessary legislative and regulatory elements to comply with the provisions of the Yamoussoukro Decision.

In southern and East Africa, COMESA has achieved the most progress by issuing a legal instrument that would effectively have liberalized air services in 2001. However, after delays, application of the legal notice was suspended until other elements, such as competition regulations, were prepared. The EAC, which has the longest history of cooperation of any of the RECs, especially in the field of aviation, has chosen an effective strategy of revising bilaterals to conform to the Yamoussoukro Decision. However, while implementation remains pending, progress in other relevant matters, such as the establishment of a joint air safety and security agency, are significant steps forward. Finally, SADC has achieved the least progress. Apparently, the dominant position of South Africa and the fear that its national carrier, South African Airways, would quickly wipe out competition in a liberalized southern African market, remain the main obstacles toward more progress in implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision.

Of the 10 African states that cannot be considered Yamoussoukro Decision party states, two, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, have implemented the Yamoussoukro Decision by means of their REC (CEMAC).

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