The Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh, has expressed satisfaction with the progress African airlines have made in safety, stressing that the continent has made significant safety improvements.

This is coming as the IATA chief admitted that the continent’s carriers were faced with enormous challenges, including high costs and taxes, jet fuel prices, which, he said, were about the highest in the world, low safety standards and airport infrastructure that needs investment.

While commending the continent over the impressive safety record between 2020 and 2023, which shows that there were no hull losses or fatal accidents during that period, he lamented that the region took a step backwards from this in 2024.

According to him, even in 2023, the African turboprop hull loss rate was the highest in the world, stressing that this tells everyone that there is still work to do on safety.

He made the observation in an address delivered on Monday to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) annual general assembly which is underway in Cairo, Egypt. He said: “Africa has enormous potential. You know the statistics.

It is home to 18 per cent of the world’s population but accounts for just three per cent of global GDP. And it accounts for an even smaller share of global air transport—just two per cent.

“As Africa’s airline leaders, I know that you are ready to take advantage of this potential to grow your airlines and connect the continent.

I also understand the enormous challenges you face—among these, high costs and taxes, including the highest into-wing jet fuel prices in the world, low adoption of global safety standards, and airport infrastructure in need of investment.”

On how to improve air safety in Africa, Walsh stated that the IATA Safety Leadership Charter provided eight principles aimed at standardizing a global approach to safety culture in each airline. Some 118 airline CEOs he said have signed, noting that fourteen of these are in Africa.

While that is a significant number, with 37 IATA members and 65 IOSA airlines in the continent, he said there is scope for more to join, urging them to sign if they have not done so.