"African airports 'need better infrastructure'"

Thursday, February 24, 2005

African airports 'need better infrastructure'
South Africa - Business Day


ESTABLISHING and nurturing public-private partnerships, as well as granting
concessions towards the construction, development and maintenance of airport
infrastructure, was essential if African airports were to be competitive
globally, the African Airports World conference heard yesterday.

The two-day conference, which ended yesterday, brought together airport
authorities, governments and civil aviation watchdogs from around the
continent to discuss ways in which regional airport infrastructure could be
improved. Aviation safety and security was also considered important,
following the rise of terrorist activities across the globe. A director of
the New Partnership for Africa's Development in Nigeria, Lawrence Anukam,
said that while there was an urgent need for airport infrastructure
development in Africa, there was also a need to establish new project
management academies to produce highly skilled technicians and engineers in
all infrastructure projects.

There is a need for governments and private sectors to work together in this
direction. But the governments have to create the enabling environment to
attract the private sector both locally and internationally, Anukam said.

He said improving airport infrastructure would help increase air passenger
and freight linkages across all the regions in the continent. According to
the global civil aviation watchdog, International Civil Aviation
Organisation (Icao), Africa accounts for only 4% of world passenger traffic.

While cargo traffic in Africa grew 17% last year, it represented only 1,4%
of global figures. Icao says, however, that passenger numbers in Africa are
likely to grow 5% this year and a further 4,3% next year. The global growth
forecasts are 6,2% this year and 5,2% next year.

State-owned Airports Company SA said yesterday that it was expecting 20%
growth in passenger numbers at its three main international airports
Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban during the 2010 Soccer World Cup
tournament.


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