LUSAKA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Tuesday called on African countries to act with urgency in easing restrictions on air travel by opening up the skies to ensure smoother and more efficient air connectivity across the continent.

Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali said that while African nations have held numerous discussions and made many declarations about improving intra-African air connectivity, there has been little actual progress.

"The time has now come for us to move from talk to implementation, from agreements to aircraft on the tarmac," Tayali said at the opening of an airshow meeting organized to discuss the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

The SAATM is a flagship project of the African Union aimed at creating a unified air transport market on the continent. The meeting brought together stakeholders from airlines, airports, government ministries, and regional institutions.

Tayali urged participants to ensure the meeting results in concrete action plans and that bilateral air service agreements align with SAATM objectives.

Adefunke Adeyemi, secretary general of the African Civil Aviation Commission, echoed the need for immediate action.

She said progress has been hindered for too long by protectionism, fragmented regulations, and inadequate implementation.

According to her, full liberalization of African skies could increase intra-African air traffic by over 50 percent, reduce fares by up to 26 percent, and contribute more than 4.6 billion U.S. dollars to Africa's gross domestic product, while also creating nearly 60,000 new jobs.

She commended Zambia for being among the first 11 countries to sign the solemn commitment to the SAATM, praising the country for demonstrating the leadership and foresight needed to position itself as a regional air transport hub.

She noted that the meeting must result in clear commitments and measurable milestones to ensure the successful liberalization of African skies. ■