Infrastructure Development and Regulatory Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Air Transport

Abstract

This Technical Paper analyses the main policy issues raised by regulatory reform in air transport in sub–Saharan Africa. Its basic premise is that improving air infrastructure is of paramount importance for the region as it tries to integrate more thoroughly into the world economy. On the basis of the experience of OECD countries with privatisation, liberalisation, and regulatory design, the author analyses progress being made in sub– Saharan Africa and identifies three important case studies: the restructuring of the regional airline of Francophone Western Africa, the sell–off of the state–owned airline of Kenya, and the overall reform process in South Africa, by far the largest market in the sub–continent.The analysis highlights the importance of regional dynamics in the upgrading of the air transport industry in developing and emerging areas. Sub–Saharan Africa has made smaller progress in this respect than, for instance, Central America. As the start of the Millenium Round and ... Ce Document analyse les principales questions de politique economique soulevees par la reforme de la reglementation du transport aerien en Afrique subsaharienne. Il montre que l’amelioration de l’infrastructure du transport aerien constitue un enjeu fondamental dans les efforts de la region pour s’integrer devantage dans l’economie mondiale. Sur la base des experiences des pays de l’OCDE dans les domaines de la privatisation, de la liberalisation et de la reglementation, l’auteur analyse les progres realises en Afrique subsaharienne et identifie trois etudes de cas particulierement importantes : la restructuration de la compagnie aerienne regionale de l’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone, la vente de la compagnie aerienne publique du Kenya et le processus plus general de reformes en Afrique du Sud, de loin le plus grand marche du continent.L’analyse met en lumiere l’importance des dynamiques regionales pour renforcer l’industrie du transport aerien dans les pays emergents et en ...