( 4 minutes read)
· According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa lost an estimated US$7.7 billion in the aviation sector in 2020 due to restrictions and lockdowns imposed by the governments in various countries to combat the spread of Covid-19
· It would take until 2023 or 2024 for the situation in the aviation sector to improve, keeping year 2019 as the benchmark year
· Many feel that the continent is in the grip of a third wave and the number of infected people in various countries in Africa was going up
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa lost an estimated US$7.7 billion in the aviation sector in 2020 due to restrictions and lockdowns imposed by the governments in various countries to combat the spread of Covid-19 .
IATA said that close to seven million employees have suffered due to the drop in traffic. Eight airlines have gone bankrupt and the bottom lines of a few airlines are in a precarious state. This was revealed by Kamil Alawadi, IATA’s regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East said at a virtual press conference on Covid-19 and civil aviation organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Africa recently. He further added that it would take until 2023 or 2024 for the situation in the aviation sector to improve, keeping year 2019 as the benchmark year. In the meantime, he stressed that vaccination should not be a precondition for international travel.
Incidentally, various reports indicate that in Africa the number of infections was on the rise. Many feel that the continent is in the grip of a third wave and the number of infected people in various countries in Africa was going up. This is happening at a time only 1% of the population is fully vaccinated. An additional 700 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine would be needed to fully vaccinate 30% of the African population by the end of the year.
According to the WHO, the European Union will introduce a Covid-19 passport system for vaccination, testing and recovery. This will come into effect from 1 July to help people who have limited facilities for treating or vaccinating at their home country . Currently, 16 countries have agreed to waive quarantine for those who have a certificate of vaccination. The stiff conditions laid down by countries for entry would greatly affect African nationals, who are planning to go abroad.
