The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has called for the establishment of a new sustainable national airline.
This follows the collapse of Air Namibia early last year due to mounting debt and general mismanagement. The company consistently failed to produce financial statements in recent years despite regular state bailouts over the past two decades.
Addressing the Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum, which was launched Thursday, NAC chairperson Leake Hangala said the platform should consider how the country can resurrect a national airline that is financially viable, operationally efficient, and contributes to domestic and regional competition.
“Losing Air Namibia has also resulted in the loss of domestic competition. Its demise has resulted in a number of our people losing their jobs, the country losing its national flag carrier,” he said.
“Whatever the reasons, national flag carriers evoke emotions and national pride, just as Brave Warriors or Rugby national teams do. I am therefore calling upon this Forum to look at how we can bring back a national airline that is packaged in such a manner that it is financially viable, operationally efficient, and that will contribute to domestic and regional competition and thereby gives consumers a choice,” he said.
The Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum aims to create a new path for the Namibian aviation and related sectors, it will also serve as a platform to showcase projects and investment initiatives that have the potential to stimulate growth in route development, tourism, open skies, regulation, financing, infrastructure development amongst others.
Hangala said it was crucial for the country to emulate other regional countries such as Uganda, Zambia and Malawi that are working to resuscitate their national flag carriers.
The NAC boss added that having more than one player in the domestic market will result in aviation being affordable and accessible. While recognizing the role of the private sector in Namibia’s aviation industry, he says there is a need to relook the role of the State in the sector.
“Of course, some will say that ours is a small market, but I strongly believe that with envisaged green hydrogen industry, development of our oil and gas industry as well as the development of other sectors including tourism will need a competitive and vibrant aviation sector. Such a national airline can be built on the principle of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and we have some success stories of PPP to look at such as NAMDEB or MTC,” said Hangala.
He also indicated that NAC is planning to engage the government over plans to improve existing infrastructure at the country’s airports.
“In that connection, we are engaging our government, through our line Minister, to see how we can improve our infrastructure at our airports including looking at the apron and taxiways at Hosea Kutako and Ondangwa airports, respectively, as well as building a new terminal building at Katima Mulilo and Rundu airports,” Hangala said.
Minister of Works and Transport John Mutorwa, who was guest of honour at the lunch of the forum, said the platform presents an opportunity to offer renewed hope for the country’s next generation of industry professionals.
“The aviation and travel sector are a major employer in this country and support the addition of unique skills in the country’s economy. I am confident that this initiative will help create new pathways for future aviation professionals and support the development of human capital in the country,” he said.
He however, said “achieving the long-term goals of this project will require a concerted effort and crucially will need sustained support across the board.”
Bisey /Uirab, the Forum’s Steering Committee chairperson, said the aviation industry was in a desperate need for a unified approach to survival and growth following the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In conceiving the idea for the Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum, we felt that the resuscitation of the industry would only serve as a step in a longer-term journey to boost Namibia’s economy and align the aviation ecosystem with the country’s long-term economic agenda. The task ahead will require close cooperation and coordination and we are confident that the forum will serve as a platform for constructive engagement and for the development of policies and reform actions that will ultimately serve the growth of Namibia’s aviation industry,” said /Uirab.
“This forum will take lessons from the challenges of the sector through first-hand accounts from those who have been there and gone through it across the region, experts in various subject matters, as well as various technical working groups. The working groups that have been identified will be made of technocrats tasked with the responsibility of researching, consulting and deliberating on pressing issues in the industry with a view to develop industry recommendations which will form part of the outcomes of the forum.”
