The liberalisation of airports topped the agenda at the annual meeting of the International Airports Council (ACI) held in Cairo last week. Amira Ibrahim reports More than 200 aviation experts and officials representing 43 Asian and African countries gathered in Cairo for five days last week to discuss how the two continents can help each other improve and support the liberalisation of airports, one of the aviation business's main challenges. The 14th International Airports Council (ACI) Africa/Asia conference's theme focussed on Autonomy and Cooperation for Growth. Workshops were held to discuss the means of enhancing cooperation among member airports, as well as airlines and aircraft manufacturers. The conference sessions focussed on the nature of the region's airports, the challenges they will be facing, and the growing role of advanced technologies in enabling airports to confront those challenges. An exhibition featuring products and services from more than 40 international companies involved in airport construction and equipment was also well attended. "The issues and solutions presented at the conference are expected to help develop our vision for the future, while ensuring more success for our daily operations," said ACI Director-General Robert Aaronson. In order to achieve comprehensive development, said ACI's Africa region President Chantal Lidji- Badinga, the continent's airports had to be completely independent. "It is of considerable importance for passenger comfort and safety that airports in Africa and Asia cooperate to become more self-independent and limit the governmental role either in providing protection or supervising and control the business," she said. ACI Asia region President Mohamed Al-Alhi suggested that authorities in Asia and Africa activate a practical agenda of cooperation between the two continents. "We need to put everything that we need from each other, and what we can do for each other, into a work plan," Al-Alhi said. "This appears necessary in light of the increasing growth rates of air transport movement, which reached 18.5 per cent in Asia, [while remaining no higher than] eight per cent all over the world." Aaronson said that Asia had seen an 11 per cent increase in international passengers and a 15 per cent rise in domestic passengers over the past eight months. Participants also expressed their worries regarding a number of other air transport business-related issues. Alliances appeared to be one of the main concerns; member airports were actively seeking to encourage them as a way to confront the increasing cooperative power represented by airline alliances. The financial autonomy of African and Asian airports was also being questioned. "The role of regional development banks in the financing of airport infrastructures cannot be ignored," said African Development Bank (ADB) President Omar Kabbaj. Financial institutions should take part in financing the construction of new airports, he said. "Regional financial bodies can play a good role helping the development of airports, [in tandem with] other international institutions which small countries may find difficult to reach." Kabbaj said ADB, along with the World Bank, would be providing $280 million funds to construct a new terminal at Cairo International Airport.
