Traveling across Africa by air could soon become faster and more affordable, as regional aviation bodies intensify efforts to harmonize regulations and protect passenger rights under the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD).

A telling example of Africa’s current air connectivity challenges is that an International Air Transport Association (IATA) official traveling from Tunis to Kigali had to pass through Doha, Qatar—outside the continent—before reaching Rwanda. Such detours are common and contribute to delays and higher travel costs for African passengers.

To address these hurdles, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), together with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), convened a workshop in Kigali this week.

The training focused on strengthening competition, consumer protection, and dispute settlement mechanisms in Africa’s air transport sector, as outlined in Annexes 3, 5, and 6 of the Yamoussoukro Decision.

“The workshop will help operationalize agreements signed between African states, ensuring that our skies are used efficiently for the benefit of all Africans,” said Emmanuel Nuwamanya, Head of Policy and Planning at Rwanda’s Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA).

Nuwamanya emphasized that participants would gain the tools to draft regulations safeguarding consumer rights and promoting fair use of African airspace.

Nuwamanya noted that high ticket prices and long travel times remain a burden because many African travelers are forced to transit through non-African hubs before reaching destinations within the continent.

Dr. Zacharia King’ori, Senior Transport Economist at the COMESA Secretariat, underscored that the Kigali workshop is part of a broader push to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision, signed in 1999 to liberalize African skies. He highlighted three key areas of focus: dispute resolution, fair competition, and consumer protection.

“Consumers often face challenges linked to poor service delivery,” Dr. King’ori said. “We need to ensure their rights are respected while also promoting best services and best prices. When more providers enter the market, consumers benefit from better options.”

AFCAC—the implementing agency of the Yamoussoukro Decision and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)—is leading efforts to harmonize national regulations, train aviation regulators, and build institutional capacity across Africa.

The worshop in Kigali brought together stakeholders from across COMESA states, including competition and consumer protection authorities, civil aviation agencies, and regional courts.

Expected outcomes include greater alignment of national aviation laws with continental frameworks, improved complaint-handling systems, and strengthened mechanisms for cross-border regulatory enforcement.

As Africa pushes toward realizing the vision of the Single African Air Transport Market(SAATM), experts believe passengers will soon experience smoother journeys, lower fares, and stronger protections—making air travel a true driver of continental integration.

AFCAC implementing the SAATM Initiative

The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a flagship initiative of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 designed to create an integrated, liberalized air transport market across the entire African continent. 

Launched in January 2018, SAATM seeks to fully implement the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) of 1999 by removing restrictions on market access, traffic rights (including 1st to 5th freedom rights), capacity, frequency, and tariffs, thereby enabling African airlines to fly more freely between African states and enhance intra-continental connectivity. 

Under SAATM, any air service agreement between participating states must be compliant with the YD, ensuring liberalized tariffs, unrestricted frequency and capacity, and harmonized competition and consumer protection rules across member states.

As the designated Executing Agency of SAATM, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) plays a central role in turning the vision of a unified African airspace into operational reality. AFCAC is entrusted with managing and overseeing the liberalization of air transport across Africa, supervising compliance with the YD/SAATM framework, and coordinating with member states, airlines, civil aviation authorities, and regional bodies to accelerate implementation. 

 Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of AFCAC, once said “the 108 new routes under SAATM are lowering airfares and travel times, while boosting trade and tourism across Africa,” illustrating tangible progress under AFCAC’s leadership.

Through initiatives such as the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project (PIP) and a continental SAATM Handbook, AFCAC also provides technical guidance, gap assessments, and structured support to states, helping them domesticate SAATM provisions into national laws, harmonize regulatory frameworks, and expand air connectivity sustainably across the continent.