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- By 2020, 4.5 million African jobs will be lost in aviation and aviation-supported industries. This represents more than half of the 7.7 million aviation-related jobs in the region.
- In aviation alone, 172,000 jobs will be lost in 2020. This represents approximately 40% of the 440,000 aviation jobs¹ in the region.
- GDP supported by aviation in the region will fall to $ 37 billion. This is 58% below pre-COVID-19 levels.
“The disruption of air connectivity in Africa has serious social and economic consequences for millions. No income means the lack of a social safety net for many. Governments must do everything possible to reconnect the continent safely. Keeping borders closed or imposing measures such as quarantines, which deter air travel, will result in the loss of many more livelihoods and further economic contraction along with hardship and poverty, ”said Muhammad Albakri, IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East. Trials to restart aviation in Africa To minimize the impact on employment and the African economy in general, an accelerated recovery of air transport throughout the region is essential. This can be achieved by testing for COVID-19 as an alternative to restrictive quarantine measures. Thirty-one countries in Africa are opening their borders to regional and international air travel. In 22 countries, however, passengers are still subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. This effectively prevents people from traveling. IATA requires that passengers be screened before departure. This will allow governments to open borders safely without quarantine and better support recovery efforts.
“The quarantine measures are paralyzing the recovery of the industry and hampering its ability to support social and economic development. COVID-19 testing will allow Africa and the world to reconnect and safely recover, ”said Albakri.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
