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Cape Town - African governments must improve their collaboration with the aviation industry if the continent is to reach its growth potential.
So said Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, addressing the 69th International Air Transport Association’s (Iata's) annual general meeting in Cape Town on Monday morning.
Motlanthe said constant innovation in the aviation industry carries catalytic opportunities for growth domestically, regionally and globally.
"As a result, improvement of Africa’s aviation is amongst one of the most important drivers of Africa’s development through trade between Africa and the rest of the world, driven in the main by the trade in agricultural and perishable goods, with the bulk of its commodity trade being transported by sea.
"Consequently, it is hard to imagine that we can transform Africa’s structural growth without a concomitant improvement in Africa’s aviation industry.
"Indeed most of Africa’s growth and development is hinged on the ability to improve intra-Africa trade and Africa’s trade with the rest of the globe," said Motlanthe.
He said Africa offers the most viable growth potential for the aviation industry today. Motlanthe told delegates at the conference that there are many opportunities for growth in Africa's aviation industry, given that seven of the top 10 growing economies in the world are African countries.
However, this growth potential cannot be realised if African governments do not improve collaboration with the aviation industry.
"African states must play their part in improving aviation policy by providing the necessary public infrastructure and support programmes associated with cushioning the high initial capital investment necessary for assisting the industry to grow," said Motlanthe.
Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba also addressed the assembly.
"The future is African," said Gigaba, who recently announced the completion of a new long-term turnaround strategy for the beleaguered state-owned airline South African Airways (SAA).
SAA is hosting the conference. Its acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout has been appointed as president of the confrence.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
So said Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, addressing the 69th International Air Transport Association’s (Iata's) annual general meeting in Cape Town on Monday morning.
Motlanthe said constant innovation in the aviation industry carries catalytic opportunities for growth domestically, regionally and globally.
"As a result, improvement of Africa’s aviation is amongst one of the most important drivers of Africa’s development through trade between Africa and the rest of the world, driven in the main by the trade in agricultural and perishable goods, with the bulk of its commodity trade being transported by sea.
"Consequently, it is hard to imagine that we can transform Africa’s structural growth without a concomitant improvement in Africa’s aviation industry.
"Indeed most of Africa’s growth and development is hinged on the ability to improve intra-Africa trade and Africa’s trade with the rest of the globe," said Motlanthe.
He said Africa offers the most viable growth potential for the aviation industry today. Motlanthe told delegates at the conference that there are many opportunities for growth in Africa's aviation industry, given that seven of the top 10 growing economies in the world are African countries.
However, this growth potential cannot be realised if African governments do not improve collaboration with the aviation industry.
"African states must play their part in improving aviation policy by providing the necessary public infrastructure and support programmes associated with cushioning the high initial capital investment necessary for assisting the industry to grow," said Motlanthe.
Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba also addressed the assembly.
"The future is African," said Gigaba, who recently announced the completion of a new long-term turnaround strategy for the beleaguered state-owned airline South African Airways (SAA).
SAA is hosting the conference. Its acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout has been appointed as president of the confrence.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
