African Leaders Renew Push for Single African Air Transport Market at Lomé Convention
African heads of state, aviation regulators and industry leaders have called for the full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) at the inaugural Air Transport Convention in Lomé, Togo, running from 15 to 19 June 2026. Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé, Champion of SAATM, opened the event by highlighting that progress on air connectivity has fallen short of the expectations of African citizens and businesses, while Rwanda's President Paul Kagame urged nations to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action - noting that despite representing nearly one-fifth of the world's population, Africa remains significantly underserved in global air traffic.
The convention, convened by the African Civil Aviation Commission, is focused on delivering tangible outcomes including stronger SAATM commitments, harmonised air service agreements, reduced taxes and charges, and the development of cargo and trade corridors. Bureau President Florent Serge Dzota indicated that a ministerial declaration with an action-oriented roadmap is among the expected outputs. Stakeholders broadly agree that full SAATM implementation could meaningfully reduce intra-African travel costs, improve regional connectivity and support the African Union's wider economic integration agenda - with direct benefits anticipated for tourism and trade across the continent.
Source: Efficacy News