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The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have resolved to establish Zambia as a continental aviation hub.
The three institutions further designated Zambia as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) leader and called on President Hakainde Hichilema to serve as the Regional (Southern Africa) SAATM Champion for the next three to five years.
This follows the successful hosting of the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project Airshow from August 18 to 19, 2025, at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, according to a communiqué issued on Wednesday.
The airshow brought together ministers, civil aviation chiefs, airline executives, airport leaders, regional economic communities, international partners, and industry stakeholders to chart a course for accelerating SAATM implementation.
Resolutions included the establishment of a SAATM Implementation Task Force to coordinate government ministries, the Civil Aviation Authority, Zambia Airports Corporation, and the private sector.
Key priorities identified were route development incentives targeting low-cost and intra-African services within 12 months, alignment of air service agreements with the Yamoussoukro Decision, competition policy reforms, and finalisation of economic regulation frameworks.
The communiqué also highlighted the need to mobilise private investment in airlines, training institutions, logistics facilities, airport services, and sustainable aviation fuels.
It emphasised Zambia’s potential to become a regional hub linking Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa, building on over US$1 billion already invested in new airports in Lusaka, Ndola, and Livingstone.
Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali urged stakeholders to move from “talk to implementation; from agreements to aircraft on the tarmac.”
Opportunities identified include positioning Ndola as a regional cargo gateway for mining, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, supporting airline fleet development through leasing partnerships, and leveraging Zambia’s visa reforms and tourism assets to expand regional connectivity.
The meeting ended with a call for COMESA and its member states to place SAATM on the agenda of the next Heads of State and Government Summit.
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