Looking for new ways to support African airlines
The African Development Bank has held workshops with aircraft manufacturers Airbus and ATR to explore ways of strengthening access to finance for African airlines.
In spite of efforts by governments, public institutions and private stakeholders, a large share of air traffic flows through a few airports, particularly those of Cairo, Johannesburg, Casablanca, and Addis Ababa. This leaves many other routes un- and under-served.
Still, Africa’s economies are expected to rebound to growth from the pandemic. Economic recovery is projected to lead to the delivery of 1,230 wide and single aisle new aircraft and 230 turboprop planes through 2040.
A key takeaway from the workshops is that the Bank needs to further assess potential interventions into the aviation markets pending completion of the feasibility study for a leasing platform by the end of 2023. (cj)