Comesa and EU officials convene in Mombasa to chart a new airspace strategy, emphasizing aviation as a critical driver of regional integration.

A high-level coalition of international experts and regional policymakers has issued a stark ultimatum regarding the future of Africa's skies. Meeting in Mombasa, officials emphasized the critical, urgent need for practical reforms to finally unlock the vast, untapped economic potential of the continent's aviation sector.

The call to action comes at a pivotal moment, as the Comesa Support to Air Transport Sector Development (SAT-SD) Programme enters its decisive final phase ahead of its scheduled conclusion in December 2026. The consensus is clear: bureaucratic gridlock is throttling economic growth.

Dismantling the Invisible Borders

Despite decades of rhetoric championing African unity, the continent's airspace remains heavily fragmented, protected by protectionist policies and exorbitant taxation. It is frequently more expensive and logistically complex to fly between two adjacent African capitals than it is to fly from Africa to Europe or the Middle East.

Claudio Bacigalupi, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Comesa, highlighted that the aviation sector is not merely a luxury service, but a fundamental driver for landlocked countries and value-added economies. The current regulatory environment stifles the free movement of goods and people, directly sabotaging the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) has been agonizingly slow. National governments often prioritize the protection of struggling, state-owned flag carriers over the broader economic benefits of a deregulated, competitive, and affordable regional aviation market.

The Economic Multiplier Effect

During the 8th Technical Working Group and 5th Programme Steering Committee sessions, stakeholders meticulously outlined the massive economic multiplier effect of a liberalized aviation sector. Lower flight costs would instantly catalyze intra-African tourism, a sector currently heavily dependent on unpredictable international markets.

Furthermore, efficient air cargo networks are essential for the export of high-value, perishable agricultural goods—a cornerstone of the Kenyan and wider East African economies. When air freight is delayed by bureaucratic red tape or priced out of viability by exorbitant landing fees, farmers lose millions.

Ambassador Mohamed Kadah, Assistant Secretary General for Programmes at Comesa, stressed that harmonizing regulatory frameworks across member states is the only viable path forward. This involves standardizing safety protocols, streamlining air traffic control systems, and drastically reducing bilateral restrictions on route frequencies.

A Roadmap for the Future

The Mombasa conference did not merely identify problems; it generated a clear, actionable roadmap for policymakers. The survival of regional airlines, including heavyweights like Kenya Airways, depends on their ability to operate in a rationalized, high-volume market rather than a restricted, high-margin one.

Technological integration also took center stage. Modernizing airport infrastructure, implementing seamless biometric passenger processing, and adopting advanced air traffic management systems are required to handle the projected surge in continental air traffic over the next decade.

• Tax Harmonization: Proposals to cap passenger taxes and landing fees to stimulate passenger volume and lower ticket prices.
• Bilateral Liberalization: Urging states to unconditionally open their skies to regional carriers, eliminating restrictive frequency quotas.
• Infrastructure Investment: Funneling targeted capital into secondary airports to create robust, hub-and-spoke regional networks.
• Safety Standardization: Empowering regional oversight bodies to ensure uniform compliance with international aviation safety protocols.

The window for theoretical debate has closed; the economic cost of inaction is too severe to ignore.

"Aviation is not merely a service but a strategic driver of regional integration, trade, tourism, and economic transformation," noted a lead delegate at the convention.