Zimbabwe urged to accelerate SAATM implementation to unlock aviation growth
- Southerton Business Times
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
HARARE – Zimbabwe has been urged to move beyond policy commitments and accelerate implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as government officials, regulators and aviation industry leaders met in Harare to chart the future of African aviation integration.
Speaking at the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project Airshow, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the event's theme, Accelerating Air Transport Liberalisation to Improve Continental Connectivity and Integration, underscored Africa's shared vision of seamless air transport.
"The SAATM facilitates the seamless movement of people, goods, services and investment across the African continent, as we move towards the Africa we want by the year 2063," Mhona said.
He said Zimbabwe was reviewing all Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) with SAATM member states to ensure they comply with the Yamoussoukro Decision, the African Union framework that seeks to liberalise air transport across the continent.
Mhona said Zimbabwe had implemented all eight SAATM concrete measures since signing the Solemn Commitment in 2022 and had endorsed the Lomé Ministerial Declaration adopted in June 2026, which calls for faster implementation of the continental aviation initiative. He noted that intra-African air connectivity had improved significantly, rising from 14.5 percent in 2021 to 23 percent in 2025, reflecting growing momentum towards an integrated African aviation market.
The minister also highlighted major infrastructure investments undertaken through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), including upgrades at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Victoria Falls International Airport and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport.
According to Mhona, passenger handling capacity at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport has increased from approximately two million to 6.5 million passengers annually, positioning Zimbabwe to benefit from increased regional air traffic.
African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Secretary-General Adefunke Adeyemi urged African governments to shift from commitments to practical implementation.
"It is a delivery platform. It is where policy must become routes, routes must become trade, and trade must become jobs," she said.
Adeyemi said the Lomé Declaration reaffirmed the Yamoussoukro Decision as the legal foundation for African aviation liberalisation, while positioning SAATM as the practical mechanism for delivering greater regional connectivity.
She said full implementation of SAATM could generate between US$450 million and US$700 million in additional GDP over five years, create 45,000 to 70,000 new jobs, and reduce intra-African airfares by 15 to 27 percent.
"That is the opportunity before us. And, frankly, that is also the cost of delay," she said.
Adeyemi proposed six immediate measures to accelerate Zimbabwe's implementation of SAATM, including establishing a National SAATM Implementation Task Force and expediting reforms to improve passenger facilitation. The recommendations include introducing electronic visa (e-visa) systems, strengthening Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) systems, and adopting risk-based border clearance to simplify cross-border travel.
She said faster implementation would stimulate tourism, trade, investment and economic integration across Africa.
"The African sky must no longer divide our economies. It must unite them, empower them and support our shared prosperity," Adeyemi said.
The Single African Air Transport Market is one of the flagship projects of the African Union's Agenda 2063, aimed at creating a single unified air transport market by removing restrictions on air services between African countries and promoting competition, connectivity and economic growth.
Single African Air Transport Market Zimbabwe