Cameroon and Egypt have concluded negotiations for the activation of the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the two States. Cameroon, located in Central Africa and Egypt, located in Northern Africa, signed a BASA for direct air transport connectivity between the countries in the year 1999. But the agreement is currently not in use as air carriers in both States are not operating flights between the two countries.
In view of recent developments in the air transport sector on the continent, especially the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which gradually kicks off, representatives of the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) and the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) met recently in Cameroon to update their existing BASA as Egyptair, the national carrier of Egypt, is expected to start flight operations into Cameroon in the coming months.
The CCAA states: “There was talk of revising the Air Agreement between Cameroon and Egypt in accordance with the Yamoussoukro Decision of November 14, 1999, approved by the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union (AU) Governments in July 2000. The said decision concerns the liberalization of access to the African air transport market.”
The CCAA adds that the updated agreement allows airlines from both countries the 5th freedom traffic rights as far as scheduled air services between the two countries is concerned. The CCAA explains: “The agreement gives access to direct flights between Cameroon (Douala/Yaoundé) and Cairo in Egypt. Designated airlines of both parties are encouraged to operate unlimited frequencies for passenger and/or cargo flights without restriction of type or aircraft capacity.”