CHAPTER 4
Regional Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision
It was recognized early on that implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision depended mainly on regional initiatives that were to be carried out by regional economic groupings. The African states outlined this at the “Worldwide Air Transport Conference: Challenges and Opportunities of Liberalization,” which was held in Montreal in March 2004. They stated that with reference to competition regulation, implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision should be made through regional economic groupings. They listed the following five possible groupings (ICAO 2003b, para. 2.2): • the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), • ECOWAS, • the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale or CEMAC), • SADC, • COMESA. This report examines progress made in regional implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision by using this proposed grouping of regional economic organizations. However, in some instances other regional organizations that play a certain role in the liberalization of air transport 61