A Boeing 737 operated by Ethiopian Airlines approaches Bishoftu Airport, highlighting Ethiopia’s growing aviation industry.
Disruptions to Gulf airspace during the ongoing Middle East conflict have exposed Africa’s long-standing reliance on aviation hubs outside the continent for both international and intra-African travel, according to an analysis by an aviation law researcher. Currently, non-African carriers operate nearly 70% of the continent’s intercontinental capacity. Consequently, the continent is vulnerable to disruptions beyond its control, which ultimately result in higher costs for passengers and exporters. The dependence traces back to colonial-era air networks built around European capitals rather than intra-African connections. Despite frameworks like the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision and the 2018 Single African Air Transport Market, the continent hasn’t made much progress toward integrating its aviation sector, primarily due to weak and fragmented implementation. To make progress, countries across the continent must strengthen the African Civil Aviation Commission, carry out tougher enforcement against route denials, and strengthen the existing dispute-resolution mechanism.