The Dubai example of a strong visionary leader, African Heads of State need to emulate, to free Africa’s skies for better air transport connectivity.

“Competition always makes you stronger and better. Competition is feared only by the weak”. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

 In the 1980s, Gulf Air, operating out of Abu Dhabi, was the main airline serving the UAE.

 Gulf Air, owned by four of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, was using Dubai Airport as a hub and sought to put an end to the open-skies policy, to its own commercial benefit, by limiting competition.

 They wanted to protect their market share, so they set Dubai a deadline of a few weeks to comply with cancelling the open-skies policy.

 They requested special treatment and clearly told Dubai that if they did not receive it, Gulf Air would decrease its services to Dubai. That threat, in hindsight, was the end of Gulf Air and a blessing in disguise for Dubai.

 Under the leadership of HRH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, he refused their request for a simple reason: he believes that competition, and not protectionism, is healthiest for countries. So, he went ahead to rent two airplanes from Pakistan and created an airline that is called today, Emirates.

 The Sheikh provided $10 million USD for this new airline to lease a fleet of Boeing 737s. He called it Emirates and set up a small team to produce a concept plan and strategy blueprint.

 Within a short time, on October 25th, 1985, the first Emirates flight landed in Karachi, Pakistan.

 EK the IATA airline symbol stands for Emirates-Karachi depicting Emirates first flight from Dubai to Karachi in October 1985 officially launching the airline.

 The specialist Advisor who had designed the initial strategy for Emirates also advised the Sheikh to drop the open-skies policy to allow the new airline to grow, the Sheikh refused.

 As of 2023, Emirates has a fleet of over 255 planes, approximately 62,200 employees and operates the world’s largest Boeing 777 fleet, with 305 more planes worth $150 billion on order. Emirates has circled the globe more than 50,561 times and announced 28 years of consecutive profits. It flew to 165 destinations in 83 countries and carried more than 85 million customers on more than 960,000 passenger flights approximately.

 Thanks to Dubai’s open-skies policy, more than 100 airlines operates today out of Dubai International Airport and the playing field is level.

The open skies for Dubai has been a plus not only to its own airline but it has contributed massively to economic growth, tourism and trade.

The open skies did not prevent the launch of the airline nor has it up to date hindered the growth and expansion of the airline.

Despite the open skies in place the airline was able to be launched with little funds and it has gained tremendous growth announcing 28 years of consistent profits and still growing.

 The fundamental questions I have for our leadership in Africa's states still practicing protectionism, refusing open skies and insisting on implementing outdated BASAs, under the pretext of sovereign rights are:

 Is the Dubai example and the exemplary leadership of the Sheikh in singlehandedly rejecting protectionism and opting for full open skies just like all US and EU countries, not a sufficient living demonstration of how successful state-owned airlines can still thrive despite a country embracing open skies policies, facing and allowing competition?

 What is really the usefulness in such protectionism of national carriers with a huge proliferation of them that are draining state funds and taxpayer’s money, burning cash, and preventing connectivity in Africa? Yet these carriers still do not survive.

 How much cash do they need to continue to burn in setting up unsuccessful airlines and trying to keep them running simply for the sake of state ownership haughtiness? The Sheikh used $10 million USD to start Emirates. How much is currently being pumped into state owned African airlines today just to keep them alive as non-profitable flag carriers?

Africa continues to lag behind with over 67% of its airline city pair routes network not connected to each other, contributes only 2% of global air traffic and over 60 state owned carriers have come and disappeared since independence, primarily due to bankruptcy, traffic rights refusal, protectionism and over taxation. Is the leadership approach to open skies in Africa not shooting us in the leg?

 AFRICA NEEDS A FULL OPEN SKIES POLICY FOR AIR TRANSPORT TO THRIVE.

Nowel Ngala - SAATM Ambassador Central African Region.