AIR cargo is vital to intra-African
trade but the continent's poor performing land-based communication systems,
along with its inadequate airport infrastructure, high fees and restrictions on
air traffic flight rights are holding back its growth potential.
There was a need to expand air
traffic between city pairs within Africa, according to South African Airways (SAA) CEO
Vuyani Jarana, who said the airline was looking at its cargo operations
to see where it could innovate.
Mr Jarana told the audience that
increasing air cargo traffic within Africa would require the development of
"necessary" infrastructure. Furthermore, air traffic charges and
levies ought to be set to promote air traffic to facilitate the operation of
new routes in an economically viable manner, reported Johanesburg's Creamer Media
Engineering News.
Africans need to adopt modern,
digital, mobile technologies for customs and excise and security, he told
delegates attending his keynote address at the opening of the Air
Cargo Africa 2019 conference in Johannesburg.
The liberalisation of air traffic
across the continent could double intra-African trade, highlighted Airports
Company South Africa (ACSA) group executive Charles Shilowa in his
keynote address to the conference. "ACSA considers itself a key role
player in stimulating intra-African trade and intercontinental trade," he
said.
He pointed out that his company was
on the verge of upscaling and modernising its air cargo operations at its
flagship OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg.
Construction of its new midfield air cargo terminal was about to commence.
Source : HKSG.
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