While Uganda’s announcement that it will join the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) in the next financial year is positive for the initiative’s realisation, the decision is still pending approval from its Cabinet.
“Once that is done, we will be good to go,” said Fred Bamwesigye, Director-General of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, at a recent meeting in Kampala.
Uganda’s commitment to SAATM will place it ahead of Tanzania, whose government has indicated it will not join SAATM for the next five years.
Bamwesigye explained that Uganda’s previous reluctance to join SAATM stemmed from its priority of maintaining its national carrier’s competitiveness. And although the CAA wants the country to join SAATM, it remains to be seen if the decision will be ratified or rejected by Cabinet.
“Most of the countries that have acceded to SAATM have the notion that SAATM will kill their national airlines. That is why we are having the awareness programme for countries in…