The Friday’s event gives air carriers of the two countries mutual cooperation opportunities. Cameroon and the Gambia have signed an air service agreement that allows air transport companies of the two countries, Camair-Co and Gambia Birds, to cooperate so as facilitate the movement of goods and persons for the mutual benefits of the two countries. Cameroon’s Transport Minister, Robert Nkili, and the Secretary in the Presidency of the Republic of the Gambia, Addoulie Sallah, signed the agreement in Yaounde last Friday January 10.
According to its terms, business opportunities will be surveyed between Camair-Co and Gambia Birds to bridge the hitherto long and cumbersome flights between Yaounde and Banjul or Banjul and Douala. “Many Cameroonians and people from neighbouring countries travel to Banjul for many purposes. If this was difficult in the past, given that the trip could take seven hours or more, I can say without hesitation that the era is over. I hope that direct flights will be established very soon between Douala and Banjul or Yaounde and Banjul,” Prof. Nkili said.
He said the agreement took place in a national context marked by the recent promulgation by President Paul Biya of a law on civil aviation in the country. The adoption of the legal instrument, he noted, took into account the new orientations given by the International Civil Aviation Oganisation and the African Civil Aviation Commission.
Addoulie Sallah observed that Cameroon and the Gambia are members of the African Union and working in synergy to enhance the movement of persons and goods by air, was synonymous with strengthening integration highly sought for by the continental body. “The wishes of our presidents have been to facilitate the movement of goods and persons within the continent. It is now history that travelling from one African country to another, one has to sometimes pass through Europe,” he said. Like Prof. Nkili, Addoulie Sallah said from the economic view point, the agreement will facilitate the flow of goods and services and free movement of people and that as it governs air traffic regulations between the two air carriers, Cameroon and the Gambia shall have brought their contribution towards the integration of persons and goods, proof of openness to the mutual progress of their populations.
