Brussels, 07/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Following the two day EU-Africa aviation conference, which took place in Windhoek on 2-3 April 2009, the EU Commission and the African Union Commission have agreed to establish an ambitious common strategic framework to develop safer and more sustainable air transport that will set out areas of potential dialogue and cooperation over security, safety, air traffic control and liberalisation in Africa. An EU-African dialogue action plan for aviation will set out the details of such potential cooperation. The agreement will be formalised once all the necessary domestic procedures have been carried out.
After pledging to develop a trans-African transport network, the EU has started entering closer connections with Africa in the aviation domain. During the two days of talks organised by EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani and EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel with Elham Ibrahim, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, representatives of the European and African aviation sectors representing public authorities, airlines, aerospace industries and service providers worked on the potential to stimulate air transport in Africa and encourage an exchange of ideas on aviation matters between the two continents. The two parties will establish arrangements for a permanent strategic dialogue in aviation matters, aiming to: 1) improve safety and security matters. The European Commission may provide increased technical assistance. Training seminars and pilot schemes are viewed as immediate activities to set up; 2) support the Yamoussoukro Decision process of liberalisation of African air transport to create a single airspace in Africa, including free market access of (eligible) air carriers for intra-African connections. The European Commission will support the development and evolution of the Executing Agency for implementing the Decision and assist in the definition of the appropriate regulatory environment and market access; 3) extend further co-operation in air traffic management and the related SESAR programme, in particular to identify the changes required to optimise the flow of traffic; 4) engage in a broad dialogue - based on application of environmental protection and support for the improvement of the performance of air operations; and 5) extend the EGNOS satellite navigation system so that it provides the same services to civil aviation over Africa as it does over Europe.
Europe and Africa must strengthen their links and cooperate more in aviation. We will both benefit from new air transport dynamics between our continents", said Antonio Tajani. "Improved safety standards and more choice are at the basis of our new dialogue. There are a number of actions that can easily contribute to changing the picture of air transport in Africa," he explained. Louis Michel added: "This framework goes hand-in-hand with the EU-Africa Infrastructure Partnership which aims to link-up the African continent and its regions through increased investment in infrastructure. Aviation is a key part of the infrastructure-linkage." (A.By./transl.fl)