Africa’s policymakers need to take urgent action to ensure the survival of the aviation industry amid the COVID-19 crisis.
This was reiterated by CEO and Director-General of Iata, Alexandre de Juniac, as he addressed delegates yesterday (November 9) at the 52nd African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Assembly hosted by TAAG Angola under the theme, ‘Redefining Air Transport for a New Era’.
He said air traffic in Africa was down 89% and revenue losses were expected to reach US$6bn – maybe even more when the next Iata forecast was released in December.
“As the aviation industry, we all support efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our duty and we will prevail. But policymakers must know that this has come at a great cost to jobs, individual freedoms and entire economies,” said De Juniac.
He added that the consequences of the breakdown in connectivity were even more severe on the African continent. “Five million African livelihoods are at risk and aviation-supported GDP could fall by as much as US$37bn. That’s a 58% fall,” said De Juniac.
He called on governments to join Iata in addressing two priorities.
The first is unblocking committed financial relief. “Over US$31bn in financial support has been pledged by African governments, international finance bodies and other institutions, including the African Development Bank, the African Union and the International Monetary Fund,” De Juniac pointed out, adding, however, that little of the funding had materialised.
“Pledges do not pay the bills,” he said. “And let me emphasise that, while we are calling for relief for aviation, this is an investment in the future of the continent. It will need financially viable airlines to support the economic recovery from COVID-19.”
The second priority is to safely reopen borders using testing and without quarantines.
De Juniac pointed out that people had not lost their desire to travel but that border closures and travel restrictions made it effectively impossible.
“Forty-four countries in Africa have opened their borders to regional and international air travel. In 20 of these countries, passengers are still subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Who would travel under such conditions?”
He said systematic testing before departure provided a safe alternative to quarantine and a solution to stop the economic and social devastation being caused by COVID-19.
