Kigali, Rwanda – Countries along the Northern Corridor have agreed to a set of sweeping aviation reforms aimed at lowering airfares, improving flight connectivity, and modernizing the region’s airspace infrastructure. These decisions were made at the 11th Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) Meeting of Civil Aviation Authorities, held in Kigali on Wednesday.
Uganda, represented by Ambassador Richard Kabonero and UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye, joined counterparts from Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in endorsing regional strategies that will make flying cheaper and more efficient for over 120 million people served by the corridor.
“These agreements translate regional diplomacy into cheaper tickets, stronger regional routes, and smarter airspace management,” said Kabonero, who urged Uganda Airlines to prioritize the Entebbe–Kigali route to spur competition and reduce flight costs.
Key Reforms: Fifth Freedom Rights and Code Sharing
Among the major decisions was the adoption of expanded fifth freedom traffic rights—a policy that allows airlines to carry passengers between foreign countries as part of services connecting their own country. This will open the door to more flight options, reduced monopoly pricing, and competitive fares.
Airlines are also being encouraged to pursue code-sharing and interline agreements, allowing passengers to book seamless itineraries across multiple carriers.
Legislation and Tariff Alignment
New regional laws to regulate travel agent pricing practices are underway, with the aim of curbing ticket overpricing. These laws are expected to take effect by June 2026.
Uganda will also participate in a regional summit in December 2025 to harmonize Passenger Service Charges (PSC) and Air Navigation Fees, aligning costs across borders and removing pricing inconsistencies that hurt passengers.
“Transparent, fair pricing is essential if we want to grow air travel across East Africa,” Kabonero noted.
Fast-Tracking African Open Skies
Member states recommitted to joining the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) by December 2026. Once implemented, this liberalized airspace regime will allow Ugandan carriers and others in the bloc to operate freely across over 35 African countries, potentially slashing costs and boosting intra-African connectivity.
Entebbe at the Heart of Regional Airspace Integration
Uganda’s Entebbe Area Control Centre will become a data-sharing hub, linking with control centers in Nairobi, Kigali, and Juba. This integration will enable real-time sharing of flight data through a Distributed Aeronautical Database, improving both safety and operational coordination.
The group also endorsed a civil-military coordination framework, enabling more flexible and efficient use of national airspace. Kenya is expected to sign onto this agreement shortly.
Boosting Safety and Surveillance
To improve oversight of flights across borders, NCIP states will implement a joint radar surveillance system and activate a regional joint accident investigation mechanism, enhancing aviation safety standards across the board.
Flying Smarter, Cheaper, and Safer
Air travel within Africa is notoriously expensive. According to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), intra-African flights cost on average 45% more than comparable routes in Europe or Asia, largely due to fragmented regulations and limited traffic rights.
But with the Northern Corridor’s new strategy—launched in 2013 to boost infrastructure and trade—aviation is now being treated as a critical pillar of economic integration.
“With shared skies, modern surveillance, and harmonized fees, we’re not just flying more—we’re flying smarter,” Kabonero concluded.
These initiatives are expected to drive growth in tourism, trade, and labor mobility, while further positioning Entebbe International Airport—which currently serves over 2 million passengers annually—as a leading East African aviation hubhttps://chimpreports.com/ugandas-electricity-access-hits-60/.
