Ghana, Algeria draft air services agreement
Ghana and Algeria are exploring means to improve air transport connectivity between the two countries to boost trade and economic development. In line with this, the two countries have exchanged a draft air services agreement but are yet to finalise negotiations and sign the agreement.
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The air services agreement will, among other things, facilitate direct flights between the two countries.
This came to light when the Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Mr Youssef Delileche, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Aviation, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, last Wednesday.
Mr Delileche, who presented a copy of the draft agreement to Ms Dapaah, said a delegation from the Algerian Ministry of Transport was ready to meet Ghana’s side for negotiations to be made on some portions of the draft agreement.
Feedback
After receiving the document, Ms Dapaah said Ghana and Algeria had had a long-lasting relationship and it would be essential to build on it.
She assured Mr Delileche that she would study the document and give him a feedback on the way forward.
Ms Dapaah, who expressed concern over the poor air transport connectivity among African countries, said: “Although African countries are very close, connectivity made the movement of people and goods from one country to another difficult.”
She said travel from one African country to another would be made easy if countries worked together to bridge the gap.
The minister also expressed the desire for Ghana and Algeria to work together in the areas of maritime and trade.
Ghana, she said, was currently striving to build a national airline on a strong foundation to ensure that it thrived when it finally took off.