Rais wa Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete
STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, ON THE OCCASION OF OPENING THE 17TH AVIATION AND ALLIED BUSINESS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, KILIMANJARO HYATT REGENCY HOTEL, 29 AUGUST 2011
Hon. Mr Omari Nundu, Minister of Transport of the United Republic of Tanzania;
Honorable Ministers present here;
Ms. Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation
and International Affairs of the US Department of Transportation;
Captain Edward Boyo, Chief Editor of the Aviation Magazine and Allied Business;
Mr. Mike Higgins, Vice President of IATA- Africa,
Distinguished Participants;
Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Welcome and Appreciation
I thank you Minister and Capt. Edward Boyo, representing the organizers of the 17th Aviation and Allied Business Leadership Conference for associating me with this important conference. May I once again welcome all foreign delegates to Tanzania. Please feel at home and enjoy Tanzania’s modest hospitality. I trust you had an enjoyable tour of the magical Spice Islands of Zanzibar. I encourage you to find time after the meeting to explore more about what Tanzania has to offer. I am sure you will not regret it.
I thank most sincerely, Capt. Edward Boyo, Chief Editor of the Aviation Magazine and Allied Business, organizer of this meeting, for selecting Tanzania as the venue for this 17th Pan–African Leadership Conference. We treasure this honour and hope to do our best to live up to your expectations.
Theme of the Meeting
Honorable Ministers;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
The theme of this meeting “Air Transport in Africa: Strengthening Leadership, Sustaining Growth” is very timely indeed, in the light of the challenges facing the aviation industry in Africa and the world at large. Apart from security challenges and safety issues, Africa’s air transport industry is facing a multitude of other challenges impeding its growth. African air transportation sector is handicapped by among others inadequate investment; shortage of technical and managerial staff; high operational costs; poor connectivity between nations and within nations. The other is unsatisfactory private sector participation almost leaving everything in the hands of governments. I believe if these challenges and related ones were overcome, the sector will develop and make its rightful contribution to the socio-economic development of our respective nations and our dear continent as a whole.
It needs no emphasizing to say that air transport can play a very important role in promoting growth and development in Africa. It has and still does so in other countries and continents, it can do the same in Africa. Development and expansion of air services provides a nation or an economy with a more diversified transport system. We all know that people, goods and services move faster by air than any other mode of transport, so a developed air transport system is a major catalyst to growth for an economy.
For sure, developed air transport services can do a lot to promote growth on the African continent. Can you imagine, what that would mean for tourism in Africa? Currently, Africa has the lowest tourists’ arrivals compared to other continents despite being well endowed with tourist attractions or even better endowed in some aspects. One serious constraint to Africa’s growth of the tourism industry is that of being inadequately served with air transport from the major tourist source markets. There are fewer airlines and flights from Europe, America and Asia to Africa and vice versa. Besides, air fares to African destinations are much higher for the same distance in Europe, America and Asia. All these have prevented tourist numbers from getting to the levels that Africa should deservedly have been receiving.
Honourable Ministers;
Distinguished Delegates;
Africa has not been able to take full advantage of her agricultural comparative advantage, partly because of an underdeveloped aviation industry on the continent and being underserved by the service globally. With ample land and good climate for the production of high value crops such as cut flowers, fruits and vegetables, Africa and its people could produce and earn more incomes from these crops as well as transform and improve their livelihood. But, lack of assured air transportation services, which is essential for this type of agriculture, has become a handicap to its development.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Improved air transport is also crucial for increasing mobility of persons, fostering intra-African contact and, promoting businesses and regional integration in Africa. Currently, these benefits are not being fully realized because of the underdevelopment of the sector and the presence of daunting challenges.
The Role of African Leadership
Honourable Ministers;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
The challenges facing air transportation in Africa are not insurmountable, however daunting they may seem. These are matters that rest squarely in the hands of African leaders both political and business. What is required of us (African leaders) is to put our act together and make the right policy decisions and take appropriate actions. First and foremost, we have to put in place a conducive environment with supportive policy and regulatory frameworks to promote increased investments in building successful airlines, good airports and acquisition of other air transport infrastructure and assets. Africa needs to have more technical and managerial experts to better organize, run and manage the industry. This means building capacity for training and hiring such experts. Definitely, huge resources are required to enable us mobilize the investments needed to develop a vibrant and viable air transportation system in Africa.
Again, these are challenges for leaders in government and private sector in Africa to ponder and find answers to. But, we also need the support of our development partners and partnership of international private sector to buttress our efforts.
Above all, Honourable Ministers and Distinguished Delegates, we need cooperation and solidarity amongst ourselves. It is an open secret that African countries cannot afford to work independently and succeed in the development of the aviation sector. It requires common approach, concerted efforts, pooling together of resources and working in solidarity beyond our respective borders for African countries and Africa to succeed. Therefore, cooperation between and among African governments, airlines, civil aviation organizations, metrological organizations and airports authorities are essential and critical in this regard.
Honourable Minister;
This can be done on bilateral basis between nations and institutions within nations, but it would be better if done under the regional integration setting and between regional economic groupings. I believe it is through this kind of cooperation that we can effectively face the challenges constraining the aviation industry in Africa. There is no shortage of regional and international instruments that support our efforts. We have, for example, the Yamoussoukro Decision. Let us implement these instruments.
Let me also recognize and underscore cooperation with US government, regional and international organizations such as ICAO, IATA, AFRAA, the African Civil Aviation Commission, and other stakeholders as being critical in assisting Africa build a successful aviation industry. I am glad that they are all very ably represented here today, and have always been regular participants to these meetings. We thank them for their support over the many years. Please, continue to work with us for the benefit of all of us.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I am happy and deeply satisfied that all these important issues and challenges relating to the growth and development of a vibrant, viable and successful aviation sector in Africa are high on the agenda of your meeting. I am sure, I speak on behalf of all African nations, leaders and peoples that we look forward with great anticipation the outcomes of your deliberations. Africa needs and is ready to take the development of this sector to the highest levels possible. Looking at the expertise and competence of those of you gathered here, I have no doubt in my mind that you will come up with pertinent ideas and proposals which will help Africa realise this noble ambition. We wish you every success and good luck.
After those many words, I now have the singular honour and pleasure to declare the 17th Aviation and Allied Business Leadership Conference officially open. I wish you very fruitful deliberations.
Thank you for your kind attention. KARIBUNI SANA.