Aviation Africa 2024: Minister Creecy Outlines Priorities for Africa’s Aviation Growth
Key priorities: regional cooperation, safety standards, and sustainable growth in African aviation.
Aviation Africa 2024, September 16 — Minister Barbara Creecy, South Africa’s Minister of Transport, officially opened the 2024 Aviation Africa Summit in Sandton on Monday.
Her address focused on the future of African aviation, highlighting key priorities for driving growth and collaboration across the continent.
Positive Outlook for Africa’s Aviation
Minister Creecy emphasised the positive outlook for African aviation, mirroring global projections of a full recovery in air travel by 2024/25.
She underscored the continent’s potential for aerotropolis developments – strategically planned urban areas centred around airports – to unlock economic growth, infrastructure development, and job creation.
Collaboration is Key
Hon Creecy stressed the importance of regional cooperation within Africa (SAATM). Harmonised regulations, standardised procedures, and stronger collaboration among aviation authorities were identified as crucial steps in enhancing connectivity, trade, and tourism.
Safety and Security Remain Paramount
Minister Creecy highlighted the importance of maintaining the highest safety and security standards. She commended Africa’s improving safety record, citing an IATA report that showed a significant reduction in commercial airline accidents over the past four years.
Sustainability in Focus
The Minister acknowledged the growing pressure on aviation to reduce its environmental impact. Investment in green technologies and alternative fuels were emphasised as key solutions for sustainable aviation growth.
South Africa’s participation in ICAO’s “No Country Left Behind” initiative and its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 were also highlighted.
Building Resilience
Hon Creecy concluded by emphasising the need for robust business continuity plans to ensure the industry can effectively respond to natural disasters and unforeseen events.
She called upon African nations to work together towards building a resilient aviation sector that serves the needs of both individual nations and the continent as a whole.
