World Bank study urges liberalisation to promote development in Africa

The World Bank released (27-Sep-2010) a study titled "Open Skies for Africa - Implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision" by author Charles Schlumberger which urges air services liberalisation to promote safety and development in Africa. The World Bank study calls on African countries to implement all commitments they made in the "Yamoussoukro Decision" of 1999, where its 44 signatory countries were to deregulate air services, and promote regional air markets open to trans-national competition. The study concludes that about one-third of African states are reluctant to liberalise as this would expose non-competitive carriers to operational standards they would be unlikely to meet. [more]