The European Union and African Union are moving their aviation partnership into a new implementation phase, with a €10 million initiative targeting safer flights, stronger air transport systems, and better connections across the continent.
EU and African Union Commission officials held the first steering committee meeting for the European Union Support to the Aviation Sector in Africa (EU-SASA) initiative in Addis Ababa on September 23. The meeting brought together aviation groups, safety agencies, regional organizations, and industry representatives to set priorities for the initiative.
EU-SASA is designed to support the practical implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) while improving air links within Africa and between Africa and Europe. Better connections are expected to support trade, tourism, business travel, and economic integration, while also contributing to the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
From Rules to Better Connections
The EU is investing €10 million in EU-SASA over five years, with the initiative running from January 2026 through December 2030. It is financed under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe and implemented by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in close partnership with African institutions and industry.
A major part of the initiative will focus on flight safety and regulatory systems. It will provide technical assistance, training, expert support, and knowledge sharing to African aviation authorities and other sector stakeholders. It will also strengthen cooperation between African and European aviation institutions.
EU-SASA will also support digitalization and new technologies, institutional capacity, and the development of aviation professionals. Activities will involve African institutions at continental, regional, and national levels, including the African Union Commission, regional economic communities, and the African Civil Aviation Commission.
For Africa, the initiative comes as countries seek to make it easier for people and goods to move across borders. SAATM was launched in 2018 to create a single market for air transport, but its implementation requires compatible regulations, effective safety oversight, stronger institutions, and closer links between national markets.
EU-SASA therefore goes beyond funding individual air transport activities. By combining technical support with regulatory cooperation, training, and institutional development, the EU and AU are seeking to address practical barriers to a more integrated African air transport market.
The first steering committee meeting marks the start of the implementation phase. Over the coming years, the initiative will work with African and European stakeholders to translate the broader EU-AU commitment to closer air links into practical improvements across the continent's air transport sector.
