Abstract: It is predicted that the air transport market for passenger and freight aircraft will grow by about 5% annually over the next 20 years. With this unprecedented expansion, there would be a huge pressure on airport capacity and control systems technology would be stretched as never before. If the developing world generally and Africa in particular want to play an equal and integrated part in the international economy, they have to rise to this challenge, which should also be seen as an opportunity to catch up with the rest of the developed world. However, this can only be achieved via heavy investment in technology transfer, the training of personnel as well as securing the right environment for sustainable development that allows local talent to flourish and contribute towards building an efficient air transport system. This, in turn, requires achieving political stability, creating a true investment-attractive climate both in legislative and implementation terms, building infrastructure and training personnel to improve skills and nurture innovation. This paper describes the requirements for an efficient air transport system, discusses the likely challenges and opportunities ahead and makes recommendations for building such a system in Africa.
