Photo caption : Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo and the ICAO Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Kamil Al-Awadhi at IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has commended the Nigerian government for swiftly clearing the over $831 million backlog of foreign airlines’ trapped funds.
IATA commended Nigeria through its Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Kamil Al-Awadhi, during his opening address at the IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Al-Awadhi highlighted the negative impacts of trapped funds on foreign airlines in various countries and applauded Nigeria for its effective resolution of the issue.
A statement signed by the SA Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Tunde Moshood said that this decisive action by the Nigerian government has restored confidence in the country within the global civil aviation community.
The commendation, Moshood said, received widespread applause from participants, including top government officials, airline representatives, air navigation service providers, international and regional associations, aircraft manufacturers, and other stakeholders in global civil aviation.
Similarly, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has emphasised the critical role of African Foreign Affairs Ministers in the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
The statement informed that Keyamo advocated for the inclusion of Foreign Affairs Ministers to drive the full operation of these initiatives, arguing that since these ministers are responsible for setting the agenda for the African Union (AU) Summit, it is essential for them to prioritise the YD and SAATM to ensure political decisions are made to overcome existing challenges.
“To make SAATM work, it is not solely up to African Civil Aviation Ministers. We need to mobilize the African Union to remove domestic restrictions, as political leaders in Africa have the authority to direct their ministers on the way forward,” Keyamo stated.
The Minister’s recommendation, Moshood said, was well-received by the conference participants as a strategic approach to achieving successful implementation and growth of civil aviation across Africa.
The IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa conference with the theme, “Towards a More Resilient and Sustainable African Aviation,” serves as a premier industry event in Africa.
It gathers aviation leaders, regulators, and subject matter experts to discuss key challenges and opportunities in the air transport sector.
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