Uche Usim, Abuja
Nigeria and Cape Verde are cementing their diplomatic ties with the latter finalising plans to open an embassy in Nigeria before the end of the year.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who made the disclosure via his tweeter handle @hadisirika on Friday, said he had met with the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Ulisses Correia e Silva on the matter.
He further revealed that Cape Verde plans to commence direct flights to Nigeria in 2019, saying that the move was consistent with the government’s plans to deepen regional air connectivity.
Sirika said in his tweet: “Meeting with Prime Minister of Cape Verde on connectivity. Cape Verde to open an embassy in Abuja this year and also to commence direct flight.
“Slowly, finally Africa is getting connected! Yamoussoukro Decision is gradually becoming a reality.”
African ministers responsible for civil aviation adopted the Yamoussoukro Decision in 1999.
It commits its 44 signatory countries to deregulate air services, and promote regional air markets open to transnational competition.
Specifically, the Yamoussoukro Decision calls for, among others:
Full liberalisation of intra-African air transport services in terms of access, capacity, frequency, and tariffs
Free exercise of first, second, third, fourth and fifth freedom rights for passenger and freight air services by eligible airlines (These rights, granted by most international air service agreements, enable, among others, non-national carriers to land in a state and take on traffic coming from or destined for a third state.)
Liberalised tariffs and fair competition
compliance with established ICAO safety standards and recommended practices.