“Smarter regulation means solving real problems while respecting global standards and consulting the industry,” says IATA director general and CEO, Tony Tyler. “The aim is to achieve efficient policy outcomes that avoid unintended consequences,” he added during the AFRAA annual general assembly in Brazzaville.
“Two important pieces of regulation which we need African states to adopt without delay are the Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99) and the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14). They are both excellent examples of the common framework and global consistency elements of smarter regulation. MC99 establishes a standard approach to airline liability, delivering benefits to all stakeholders without creating a regulatory burden.
“It provides better protection and compensation to passengers, and it provides the legal framework for digital invoicing, meaning faster shipments for time-sensitive goods – something particularly important for Africa’s perishable export industry. It is reassuring to see that the majority of nations recently ratifying MC99 have come from Africa, the latest being Rwanda, where it comes into effect in December. A number of African States, however, such as Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Mauritius, Senegal and Uganda, are yet to ratify, and we hope they will do so soon.
“MP14 is an example of strong leadership from African states in developing effective global regulations. African states worked together at the 2014 ICAO Diplomatic Conference to shape MP14, which amends the 50-year-old Tokyo Convention on unruly passengers. Together with the initiatives already undertaken by airlines to prevent and manage unruly passengers, this important international law will act as a deterrent, giving States the legal powers they need to take action. African nations have been at the forefront, comprising 16 of the 28 States to sign it, and with the Republic of the Congo being the first in the world to ratify. We look forward to more African States ratifying MP14 and continuing to demonstrate leadership on this issue,” he concluded.
