Cecilia Dapaah
Ms.
Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Aviation, has called on airlines
in China to take advantage of the numerous Bilateral Air Service
Agreements with various African countries and begin operations to
several destinations on the continent, including Ghana and vice versa.
She said Africa World Airlines (AWA) was birthed from the strategic
partnership between Ghanaian and Chinses investors, which has seen the
airline grow steadily over the past five years from the initial four
destinations to nine destinations – including five international
destinations, with attendant socio-economic benefits.
Ms. Dapaah was speaking at the opening ceremony of the China-Africa
Joint Research Conference and Exchange Programme in Accra on the theme ‘China-Africa Regional Aviation Cooperation: Prospects and Policy Recommendations’.
The Chinese aviation industry is one of the best in the
world, with a higher projected growth rate than most major aviation
hubs.
Indeed, according to aircraft manufacturer Boeing, the Chinese
aviation industry is expected to purchase an estimated 7,240 aircraft
between now and 2036.
Randy Tinseth, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president of
marketing, was quoted by Reuters as predicting that the Asian country’s
evolving airline business models will support the expected growth.
“China’s continuous economic growth, significant investment in
infrastructure, growing middle-class and evolving airline business
models support this long-term outlook. China’s fleet size is expected to
grow at a pace well above the world average, and almost 20 percent of
global new airplane demand will be from airlines based in China.”
The conference was in line with the international Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) global initiative, dubbed ‘No Country Left Behind’,
which seeks to enhance compliance with ICAO standards and
recommendations through cooperation, assistance and capacity-building
among member-states.
The conference comes on the heels of the Single African Air Transport
Market Initiative, launched by AU Heads of States at their Summit in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January this year.
“I believe such strategic partnerships arrangements, if replicated in
other African countries will facilitate growth of the Regional Aviation
industry,” Ms. Dapaah said.
She expressed excitement at the current level of cooperation existing
between the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and Civil Aviation
Administration of China in the area of airworthiness.
The minister said cooperation between China and the Ghana Air Force
has also resulted in the provision of major infrastructure to the Ghana
Air Force.
“May l take this opportunity to urge the Chinese government to
increase the focus on human capacity building and skills and technology
transfer in its cooperation with Africa, to ensure the accelerated
growth and sustainability of Africa’s aviation industry,” she added.
She commended the Chinses government for the numerous annual
fellowships provided for African aviation experts to undertake various
courses in China.
Mr. Jiang Zhouteng, Acting Ambassador of the People’s Republic of
China to Ghana, said China is ready to work with African countries to
strengthen strategic cooperation and further implement the China-Africa
Aviation Cooperation Plan, and build a China-Africa Air Silk Road for
the benefit of both Chinese and African people.
He said: “China-Africa cooperation is standing at a new staring point”.
The conference has experts deliberating on Developing an enhanced
Regulatory Framework and Capacity as catalysts for Sustainable growth
of the Air Transport Industry in Africa; the Single African Air
Transport Market-Future Challenges and Prospects; Leveraging Knowledge
and Skills for continuous improvement of Operational and Service
Delivery in the African Aviation Industry; and the Developing of China’s Aviation Industry-Lessons for Developing Economies.
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