Aviation Minister Urges Visa Restrictions Removal for Africa’s Business Growth
The Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on the governments of African countries to take urgent steps in facilitating the removal of visa restrictions to enable the free movement of people and goods across the continent.
To achieve this , Keyamo said there is need to work with Foreign Affairs Ministers across Africa to push for accelerated economic development.
Speaking at the Wings of Change Focus Africa Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Minister made a case for adequate funding of air transport in Africa.
Also speaking at the event, IATA,s Regional Vice President, Africa & Middle East, Kamil Al-Awachi called for pursuit of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, which constitutes part of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) recent programmes.
Speaking on the fall – out of the conference, FAAN ‘s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah, said the authority, under the leadership of Mrs Olubunmi Kuku as Managing Director, has taken recent steps to make Nigeria’s airports safe and accessible by genuine tourists and travellers, alongside efforts to eliminate touting and other forms of criminal conducts around the airports.
She said the recent creation of a dedicated Department for Cargo Services in FAAN has underscored the need for improvement of trade facilitation.
Orah said some interventions have been put in place to boost Air cargo Facilities and Infrastructure, Cargo Compliance, Closer collaboration amongst African countries and Stakeholders as well as Cargo Specialized Training for stakeholders.
She said on issues at the IATA conference:” There was emphasis on digitalization of passenger processing and how the embrace of robotics technology by airports in Africa would help to give customers further experience of speed, efficiency and excellence. The use of technology to drive efficiency has been part of FAAN’s priority agenda under the present dispensation.
“There were also concerns expressed about staffing challenges associated with embrace of technology as well as portability skill of aviation training in the airport system.
“Stakeholders emphasied the need to train and engage fresh minds and to retain younger people in the airport system while encouraging professionals within the system to return so as to sustain the industry’s development. This applauds the recent massive trainings conducted by FAAN’s training schools across the country.
“FAAN’s recent efforts to optimize and improve revenue generation was equally justified by deliberations around airports revenue improvements.
“Generally, discussions at the IATA Conference confirmed the fact that FAAN is on the right course in pursuit of its vision of becoming one of the best airport companies in the world.”