RwandAir (WB, Kigali) CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo has called for a "coalition of the willing" to move beyond commitments and implement Africa's open skies agenda through clear timelines and measurable outcomes.
Writing in an opinion article published by East Africa Media Group (EAMG) ahead of the inaugural Africa Mindset Reset Forum in Kigali on August 25-26, 2026, Makolo urged governments to judge progress by lower fares, improved connectivity, and the release of blocked airline funds rather than signed agreements, arguing that the continent's biggest obstacle is no longer policy but execution.
"What we need now, and what I am prepared to put RwandAir’s weight behind, is implementation on a clock. The skies were never the barrier. Our follow-through has been."
Makolo called for three immediate priorities: the release of blocked airline funds; greater commercial cooperation between African airlines through interline agreements and fifth-freedom operations; and closer alignment between the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Union's Free Movement Protocol to facilitate cross-border travel.
Makolo said the cost of flying within Africa remains artificially high, with taxes, fees, and overflight charges accounting for nearly half the fare on some regional routes. She cited industry figures showing that only 19% of intra-African city pairs are served by direct flights, aviation taxes and charges are about 15% above the global average, and nearly USD774 million in airline revenues remained blocked in African markets as of March 2026.
Although 38 African states have signed up to SAATM and more than 100 intra-African routes have been opened in recent years, Makolo argued that implementation has lagged. She said it is often easier for African carriers to establish codeshares with non-African airlines than with other African operators, forcing passengers to connect via Europe or the Gulf when travelling between African cities.
