Most African countries delay, withhold air accident reports – IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has disclosed that accident investigation reports in most African countries are delayed, incomplete, or unpublished, thereby withholding valuable safety insights that can improve safety.

According to IATA, between 2019-2023, only 19 percent of accident reports were completed versus a global average of 63 percent.

The association stated that this underscores the need for improved compliance with state investigation obligations under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention.

The body stated that greater use of IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA) and IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) can strengthen airline safety performance, support effective regulatory oversight, and promote a consistent, risk-based approach to operational safety.

Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East who spoke during the ongoing IATA Focus Conference in Addis Ababa on Wednesday however noted that Africa has made significant progress in aviation safety.

“Between 2024 and 2025, the accident rate fell from 12.13 to 7.86 per million sectors, but it remains well above the global average of 1.32 and is the highest among all regions.

“To further improve safety in Africa, IATA called for all parties in IATA’s Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) to mobilize resources in three areas:

“Increase the implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). Average effective implementation across 46 of 48 Sub Saharan African states stands at 60.34 percent, compared with the global average of 69.46 percent and the global target of 75 percent,” Alawadhi said.

He lamented that the cost of doing aviation business in Africa is high, adding that a key element of this are the taxes and charges by governments and infrastructure providers, the burden of which is about 15 percent higher in Africa than the global average.

To address this, Alawadhi called for a reversing the trend of increasing API-PNR charges, adding that Tanzania’s API PNR charge of USD 45 one way is the highest globally, while charges in Angola, D.R. Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya also exceed global norms.

He said governments profiting from these charges—contrary to ICAO SARPs—distort ticket pricing and undermine connectivity.

“Implementing the ECOWAS December 2025 decision to eliminate aviation taxes and reduce select charges by 25 percent. Full and consistent implementation at the national level without further delay is critical to maximize the benefits from lowering aviation costs.

“Preserving residence-based corporate taxation of airlines. Proposals emerging from African countries in UN tax discussions on source based taxation should be rejected.

“The cross-border nature of aviation makes residence-based (tax paid at the headquarters location) the most efficient and fair method for corporate taxation. Source-based taxation would risk double taxation (or worse) as the ‘source’ for any one ticket is often spread across multiple jurisdictions,” he explained.

He noted that removing roadblocks to ease doing business is essential for aviation to thrive.

Alawadhi said while treaties and bilateral agreements stipulate the right of airlines to repatriate revenues earned across their networks, governments’ failure to comply with these obligations results in funds being blocked.

He disclosed that African countries account for the largest proportion of global blocked funds, with a total of USD 774 million blocked as of end-March 2026.

Algeria accounts for the highest amount of blocked funds, at USD 258 million, followed by XAF Zone (USD 105 million), Mozambique (USD 82 million), Eritrea (USD 78 million), and Angola (USD 73 million).

“Given the scale of funds blocked in Algeria, urgent and decisive government action in Algeria is essential. But our efforts to engage with the Ministry of Trade and Export Promotion and the Central Bank have been met with little responsiveness and airlines continue to face delays despite complying with burdensome requirements.

“In Algeria, and all locations where airlines are denied access to their revenues, governments must engage with the industry to find a sustainable solution or risk the consequences on connectivity,” said Alawadhi.

On reducing visa burdens, he said nearly half of intra African travel still requires visas prior to departure, suppressing regional mobility, tourism, and economic integration.

“Where visa requirements have been eased, countries have seen stronger tourism flows, more resilient routes, and greater use of regional air services,” he said.