Air fares within West Africa’s subregions continue to be the highest in the world. said Cedico Duca, Ecowas’s Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization committee member.
Douka also found that a recent study conducted by a well-known organization showed that air transport within West Africa was under 10%, indicating that this was the lowest.
He said the situation has become a barrier to regional integration.
Duca spoke in Rome on Tuesday and spoke at the opening of the 6th Congressional Congress. Meeting of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mining, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Theme: Air Transport as a Means to Integrate People in West Africa: Strategies to Reduce Air Ticket Costs.
He said ECOWAS leadership was concerned with the situation and therefore called for the committee to coordinate and harmonize the air transport policies, programs and projects of the Member States.
He emphasized the importance of the Rhom Conference to address the gap, revealing that the conference has the blessings of the head of state and government.
He said: “The air tariffs in West Africa remain excessively high compared to other countries around the world. In this case, flights to another African country is cheaper than moving between two ECOWAS countries. This situation is counterproductive to the future of the West Africa region and collective airspace.”
He also said, “Recent studies conducted by well-known organizations in 2024 have shown low growth rates of air transport in West Africa (less than 10%). This is, for example, in comparisons of domestic flight distances, western registrations in West Africa, West Irons, major Isles, major Isles, and major Isles, as well as West Africa in West Africa, West Irons, major Isles, and major Isles, as mentioned above, at a time when it recorded 40.4% in North Africa, 21.4% in South Africa and 20.5% in East Africa.
“According to Article 32 of the revised ECOWAS Convention, statutory bodies mandate a committee to coordinate and harmonize member states’ air transport policies, programs and projects, as well as contribute to all initiatives, strategies and plans of action aimed at improving air transport within the territory.
“In this context, in 2017, the ECOWAS Committee worked with member states to conduct a survey on general policies regarding air transport fees, taxes and claims, with its final report being submitted in Accra in 2018.
“This policy was reviewed in May 2021 through a verification workshop held by experts and ministers responsible for air transport from member states. A task force was subsequently created to explore and submit a summary of (i) fees, taxes, fee status, and (ii) total reductions or claims in certain taxes and fees.
Furthermore, during the regular session of the 65-year-old (65th) Head of State Authority held in Abuja, Nigeria on July 7, 2024, Ekowas Head of State and Government noted in the final communica- tion that air transport should be more accessible and affordable to reduce the cost of aviation to support the integrated territory of the region.
“In response to this direction, a meeting of ministers in charge of air transport was convened here in Lome on November 8, 2024. The meeting ended with a modality for gradually reducing taxes, fees and fees aimed at making air transport more affordable. It was submitted to the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government meeting on December 15, 2024, and supported them.
“Our main concerns are (i) non-discrimination among users, (ii) transparency, appropriate pricing for services provided, and (iii) user consultation.
“The recommendations made by the Minister to Member States for efficient regional air transport are, among other things: I commit to eliminating all taxes in accordance with these ICAO principles and recommendations.
“We will reduce passenger service fees and security fees by 25%. We will reduce the cost of aviation fuel.
“This aims to make our area efficient from an air transport perspective, along with 400 million residents.”
He also called the meeting to consider issues of general regulations regarding passenger compensation in the event of denied boarding, cancellations or significant delays within the ECOWAS area.
He added: “We are currently working towards implementing these community texts by ECOWAS Member States. Such implementation start dates are set for January 1, 2026, a 15-month period that will allow us to prepare, particularly from a budget perspective.”
ECOWAS committee members also accused legislators of relying on the region to “in the state itself to participate in the development, review and adoption process and implement the community texts that it has participated in.”
He therefore urged “to be strongly involved with Member States to raise awareness about the implementation of these additional actions, given the sustainable development of air transport in West Africa.”
“It’s the right time to highlight the visibility of the organization as Ecowas celebrates its 50th anniversary. Many achievements have been made in various areas/sectors of regional integration, but these are little known to the public, either because of consciousness, communication, or simply because of the highly political orientation given to the Visions perspective, given the vision of Ecowas. Challenges, problems, strengths/weaknesses, opportunities/threats, sectoral outcomes,” he added.
