(Posted 15th July 2026)
Courtesy of and published by Date Dovene Tevi-Benissan / LinkedIn
Early this May, I wrote the article below on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which was published in the July 2026 edition of ASKY’s inflight magazine.
After participating in AviaDev Africa and the African Aviation Expo in Lomé, and having carefully reviewed the outcomes reflected in the Declaration of Lomé, I felt compelled to share it here and hear your views.
The conversations held during these events reaffirmed one thing: Africa has already identified the right direction. The challenge is no longer the vision—it is execution.
The Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) laid the foundation for the liberalization of African air transport more than two decades ago. Today, the Lomé Declaration (LD) provides a renewed roadmap with concrete actions, responsibilities, and implementation timelines.
The time has now come to move from commitments to delivery.
I sincerely hope that AFCAC will receive the political, technical, and financial support necessary to coordinate and implement the various actions entrusted to it under the Declaration of Lomé.
A competitive, connected, and integrated African aviation market will not emerge through declarations alone. It will require collective leadership, coordinated execution, and sustained political commitment from all stakeholders.
The Yamoussoukro Decision showed us the way. Let the Lomé Declaration transform that vision into tangible results.
I would be delighted to hear your thoughts:
– What do you see as the biggest obstacle to the successful implementation of SAATM?
– What concrete actions should governments, regulators, airlines, airports, and industry partners prioritize over the next 12-18 months?
